Eye Blong God E Watch Close
“Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” Psalm 26:2 Within a few months after Seventh-day Adventists opened mission work on the island of Mussau, the Lord entirely transformed the people living there. They gave up their tobacco, their betel nut, their pork, their fighting, their quarreling, their killing, and lived clean, Christian lives. A government official visiting the island was interested in discovering for himself whether or not the report of change in the islanders was real. Selecting a young man in his teens whom he knew had once been a heavy smoker, the official invited the lad to go with him for a walk. When they were well out of sight of the village he lit a cigarette and offered one to the boy. “Have a smoke,” he urged. The lad shook his head. “Eye blong missionary e no look!” the officer assured him in the local pidgin English dialect. “True, Master, eye blong missionary e no look, and eye blong all friend e no look, but which way eye blong God? He can lookim me all the time. No, Master, me been throw away this fellow fashion. E finish long time now.” The youth’s refusal to smoke made a strong impression on the government official, and later in talking with one of the missionaries he said, “I know now this experience is not just skin-deep. I really put that boy to the test, and he came through with flying colors!” Every day, God permits Satan to tempt and try us to see whether or not we are truly growing in grace and becoming more like Jesus. Sometimes we feel the test or the temptation is so great and the consequences of yielding so small that we go ahead and do what Satan tells us “just this once.” Aren’t you glad this young Mussau boy didn’t let God down? What would that government officer have thought of God’s people if that young man had taken just that one cigarette when “no one was watching”? The Lord tells us, “The strongest temptation cannot excuse sin.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 421. Jesus tells us that help is near: “Lo, I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
