Читать книгу Beyond the Horizon - Harry A. Renfree - Страница 38

February 01

Samuel Clemens, the American author and humorist, had been a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi for many years. He chose his pen name from the phrase “mark twain,” which is a river man’s phrase for water found to be at a depth of two fathoms. A short while after he had become famous, he was traveling in Europe with his young daughter. Everywhere they went, royalty, as well as well–known artists and scientists, honored Mark Twain. Near the end of their travels, the writer’s daughter said to him, “Papa, you know everybody but God, don’t you?” History doesn’t seem to record Mark Twain’s response, but I am sure he was caused “furiously to think,” as it is sometimes put.

It is possible to know a whole host of the rich and famous, leaders of the country, even leaders of the world, and yet to be unacquainted with God.

Jesus asked a very pointed question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36–37). Fame can be very barren in that context.

Paul has this definitive word in writing to his young co–worker, Timothy: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7). Paul is referring to THINGS of course.

We can take a noble character, one made new by the salvation of Jesus Christ—for we know God, and even more importantly He knows us.