MAY 24,  Romans 3:3,4

Jeff loved spending school holidays with his cousin RongYi—except for the time each evening when Uncle Paul called them together for family devotions. “You don’t really believe all that religious stuff, do you?” Jeff asked RongYi one night from the bed across the room. “Sure I do—but it’s not religious stuff’!” replied RongYi. “It’s what the Bible says.”

“How can you believe some of those Bible stories—like about men walking in fire and not being burned or crossing a sea and not getting wet,” mocked Jeff. “They’re true stories,” insisted RongYi. “They really happened.” Jeff shrugged and turned over to go to sleep.

The next day, Uncle Paul took the boys canoeing at the MacRitchie Reservoir . As Aunt Mary drove them there, RongYi read a bumper sticker aloud: “If God said it, I believe it, and it’s so.”

“It should just say, If God said it, it’s so,’” commented Uncle Paul. “What God said is so, whether I believe it or not.”

Aunt Mary and RongYi nodded, but Jeff acted as if he hadn’t heard. “Okay, guys. Have fun, and I’ll pick you up about 5 pm,” said Aunt Mary when they reached the reservoir. Soon Uncle Paul and the boys were floating downstream. “This water’s not very deep,” said Jeff. “I can see the bottom.”

Uncle Paul chuckled. “It’s deeper than it looks, Jeff,” he said. “I’m sure it’s over your head.” “Na-a-ah. I don’t believe it,” scoffed Jeff.

“Duck!” RongYi exclaimed suddenly as they floated under a lowhanging branch. They all ducked, but the canoe was thrown off-balance and tipped, spilling them into the water. They came up spitting and sputtering—and laughing. “Stand up, Jeff,” called RongYi. “I can’t!” Jeff called back. “I can’t touch the bottom.”

“Let’s get this canoe right side up,” said Uncle Paul. “That water was deeper than I thought,” admitted Jeff.

"It was deep whether you believed it or not, wasn’t it?” observed Uncle Paul. “Yeah, Jeff. Not believing it didn’t change the fact,” RongYi added. “The same is true of the Bible.” Jeff grinned sheepishly as RongYi repeated, “If God said it, it’s so!”

Thought: Do you believe what God says in the Bible—all of it?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I believe all that the Bible says. Help me to live in faith and to continue to read the Bible and my Junior RPG so that I may grow to be a better child and Christian everyday! In Jesus’ name, amen.