WE READ in the Bible, in several places, how God used animals to carry out His purposes. You all remember how He opened the mouth of the dumb ass and reproved wicked Balaam, and on another occasion we read that He sent a lion to kill a disobedient prophet, Then God used it great fish to swallow Jonah, and at another time he used a small fish with a piece of money in its mouth.
I lately heard a story of how, even it these days, God used a little fly to carry out His plans, and I think you would like to hear it too.
There was, in a certain village in England, a very ungodly man who made his living by keeping a tavern. He was given to drinking and swearing a great deal, and boasted that he had never been in a church or read the Bible. Do you think God would love a man like that? Of course God loved him, as you shall see by the story.
One day some friends coaxed him to attend a gospel service, but he refused. They continued urging him, and at last he promised to go, but this was his plan. He was fond of singing, and he decided that he would listen to the singing, but when the preaching started he would put his fingers in his ears!
He did enjoy the singing too, but when he saw the preacher open his Bible, he immediately put his fingers in his ears and refused to listen. All went well for a while, but suddenly a little fly lighted on his nose. It did not stay quietly there, but walked slowly around, tickling him terribly with its little legs. First he shook his head gently, and then violently, but the fly went on tickling his nose. Then he tried blowing. But it was no use. Out came his fingers and he raised his hand to drive away his tormenting enemy. But God used that one moment to speed a text into the conscience of that wicked man. What do you think the text was? lie that bath ears to hear, let him hear." Matt: 11:15. He felt that God was speaking directly to him, warning him of the evil of his ways, and he was afraid to close his ears again. He listened eagerly to the rest of the message, and at the close of the meeting, he came right up to the preacher and told him that he was a sinner and wanted to be saved.
It was some time before he could lay hold of the fact that God had been watching him; had seen and heard all his wickedness and yet was offering him a free salvation. He found that God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, had taken his place and had borne the punishment that he deserved, and he bowed and accepted Him as his own Saviour.
"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1: 7.
Messages of God’s Love 7/17/1949