Grandma’s spare room
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him (Psalm 2:12).
When I was a young boy, I loved to go to my Grandma’s to escape my many sisters. Grandma’s spare room was my world where I could play, draw, and enjoy my own company. It was in that room I made two important discoveries. The first discovery was a dangerous one. One day I was feeling a little bored and looked for something interesting to do. The light switch caught my attention. In those days the whole of the front casing of a light switch could be easily unscrewed. Which is what I did, exposing the wires inside. I turned the switch on, but apart from the light coming on nothing else happened. Then for some reason which, to this day, I cannot explain, I decided to put my finger inside the light switch! When I got up off the floor, I had acquired a respect for electricity which I have never lost, and a very sore finger! I have used this story many times when I have preached the Gospel, to illustrate what it is to have faith in Christ, just like the diseased woman in Mark 5:28 who said to herself, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Through her hesitant touch she immediately discovered the power of the love of God in Jesus.
The Lord Jesus delights to respond to our faith in Him. Paul wrote to the young Church at Thessalonica, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). How quickly these young Christians were characterised by a living faith, love in action and a bright hope which lifted their hearts to God. God’s power was demonstrated in their lives through faith.
The second discovery I made in my Grandma’s spare room was two books inside an old cupboard. One was a big, old Bible, and the other a book called “Seen and Heard”. I asked my Grandma if I could have them. Those two books remained unread in my room at home for a long time. Then as a young teenager, I was challenged by the Gospel and began to read the Bible and also “Seen and Heard”. It was the story of the remarkable Scottish evangelist James McKendrick who was at the heart of the powerful revivals that took place on the East Coast of Scotland. The copy was signed by him. I was under conviction as I read its pages. But I wasn’t sure I was saved until I came to page 116 where James McKendrick asked a woman why she didn’t trust in Christ. She replied, “I do trust the Lord, but I am not saved”. He quoted the verse, “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12). He then said, “If the Lord has blessed all who trust in Him, what has He done with you?” The light shone into her heart as she realised she was saved too. As I read those words, the same light shone into my heart!
In my Grandma’s spare room it was remarkable that God saved me from my own foolish actions. It was more remarkable that God ensured two books were left in an old cupboard and that He would direct a young boy to take them home and use them to open his heart to Christ. How much He is worthy of our complete and lifelong faith and worship!
