As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies ended up
gathering together a great many orphans.
These children had
suffered privation, hunger, grief. Many of them had lost everything,
including their hope for the future and any feeling or a belief they
might have a secure and safe tomorrow. It was thought the children would
respond very quickly to their new, safe surroundings. That was not the
case.
For many of the children their new situation didn't seem to
make any difference. Now they were fed; now they were well clothed; now
they had good doctors and medicine. They should have thought their
worries were at an end.
But they didn't.
Most of these
children kept worrying about tomorrow and what the future held. They
were listless. They slept poorly. Finally, a physician suggested a
solution to change their perspective. Each child, when he went to bed,
was given a piece of bread. They were instructed not to eat the bread;
instead, just hold on to it.
Those pieces of bread produced
wonderful results. The children went to bed knowing they were not going
to starve. They knew their tomorrow was taken care of. They were secure.
That knowledge, that guarantee, gave them a restful and contented sleep.
Today, many of us, like those children, are frightened and forsaken.
If that is the case, may I tell you the Lord is holding out eternal
peace, eternal contentment, eternal forgiveness for you. This He does
through His Son's sacrifice. In the Person of the risen Redeemer, you
have something ~ Somebody ~ who can change today, tonight and all your
tomorrows.
There is no one else who can do what He can. There is
no one else who has shown such love and such commitment to you, your
present welfare, and your eternal destiny. All we encourage you to do is
hold on to Him.
When you do, you will be amazed at the changes
Jesus' closeness can make.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, accept my
thanks for the Savior. He entered this world filled with sin and sadness
and offered Himself so my present and future might be changed. For His
sacrifice and His success, which have given me forgiveness and eternal
life, I am thankful. Grant that I may, in every situation, hold fast to
Him. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken
Klaus Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved;
not to be duplicated without permission.