Hello there, when we were small, many fairytales were told to us. Here is one
of them.
There
was once an Old Book, which a traveller gave to a poor family who had provided
him accommodation. Before he continued on his journey, he said, "When
you read this book and believe the words which are written within, these words
will become alive in you. It will change your whole life and make you happy.
Then he left the book lying on the table and said that he would return again
sometime. Meanwhile, time past by and the traveller had already been gone
for two weeks. The poor man and his wife did not know what they should do.
They did not want to sell this book because it had been given to them as gift.
They heard that this Old Book was written by someone who can see and hear
everything, and from whom nothing is hidden. "Is it possible that there
is really such a thing as that?" the poor man asked his wife. His wife
answered, "If the words in this book are able to change our life and
make us happy, then it would be good if we would share this book with other
people. Come on, let us take it to the king and tell him the whole story."
As they arrived the place where the king was as, they told him what the traveller
had told them. The king and his advisors and even the priest had already had
big problems for a long time and could find no solution for them. The king
said, "We need to take the risk and take time, perhaps this book is the
answer to our prayers." Then he summoned all the people in his kingdom
to come together. As a result, the rich and the poor in the land appeared
together before the king. Everyone looked at this mysterious book. Everyone
wanted to find out what these words in it meant. After several of them had
read the first pages of this book and were fascinated as a result, the poor
asked the king, "Dear king, what is written in this book? We cannot read
it." The king said to them all, "There are too many words in this
book to be able to read it all on one day. We will make it out that we meet
together every morning in my castle hall. Then my scribe shall read for a
hour from it out aloud. If it helps us, then we will read it until the end."
One of them asked, "Are we men allowed to bring our wives with us?"
The king gave his consent for that. The rich and the poor were very happy
about this and they went back home. On the next morning, the hall of the king
was full of people, and the scribe of the king read out aloud from this book.
Everything was quiet, nobody was thinking about work anymore, even the poor
forgot about their needs and the rich forgot about their problems. It seemed
as if they were in another world. They had never heard such words before.
Suddenly, the scribe stopped reading. "What is wrong?" they cried
out horrified, and even the king wondered what was going on. "I am only
supposed to read for an hour," the scribe cried out into the hall, "and
now this hour is over." Everyone was quiet. It was as if they were back
in their old world again with their problems. Even the king had to agree with
the scribe. "Yes, you are right, that is the way it was planned."
And he called out to all the people, "We have heard these words for the
first time, early tomorrow we want to hear more, for I am just as curious
as you are."
Then everyone stood up and went outside as if they had been changed. The one
went to the field, the other went to buy something. However, the words of this
book were in the thoughts of every single one of them. Time went by, week after
week. They still appeared every morning in the hall of the king and wanted to
hear the words of this book. "You must believe and obey the words which
are written within," the traveller had said to the poor man.
Meanwhile, what had taken place in this kingdom? Nothing was stolen anymore,
the rich helped the poor, and as a result, they were all of a sudden healthy.
The children were happy again at school, for there was a great change in the
teacher; whereby, they did not notice that they themselves had also been changed
by this word. Yes, indeed; also their grades were better.
And the king? Well, after a week, he already felt better because he no longer
had any more quarrels with his wife. Also, she stopped ordering expensive clothes
every week. In addition, the advisors of the king believed the words from this
book and began to conduct their business matters in a completely different manner.
It was like being in another world, as if the sun shone only for them, and as
if the snow came down only for them. They were so happy. And what was with the
poor man and his wife? They did not find any treasure, however, everyone in
the village helped them. Even the king did not consider himself too fine and
visited them often. They had enough to pay all their debts, and there was even
something left over. In addition, the woman gave birth to a son and a daughter
a year later - this was something which they had both always desired. One day,
as they were sitting with their two children outside on a bench behind the house,
they saw the strange traveller again. Oh, what great joy they had. They told
him about what great power this book had, and that even the village and the
entire kingdom had been transformed by it. Then the traveller said, "I
am very glad to hear that. For I was at one time in a land where nobody was
interested in the words of this book. Today, they are not doing so well and
they are without any hope. It is true that they have material things, however,
their hearts are empty. The city is full of thieves, liars and deceivers, and
all manner of evil is taking place there. In school, other books are being read,
and they do not believe the Word, they mock and laugh about it. As a result
of rejecting the WORD which I have given to them, they have remained spiritually
blind and they will end up being lost when they die. Things are getting worse
there!" Have you already noticed where we are? This book - the Bible still
has the power even today to change countries, cities and your life; however,
these WORDS must be received in faith. rw
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