MAY 24, Romans 3:3-4

Jeff loved spending school holidays with his cousin Rong Yi, 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 Rong Yi one night from the bed across the room. “Sure I do, but it’s not ‘religious stuff ’!” replied Rong Yi. “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 Rong Yi. “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, Rong Yi 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 Rong Yi nodded, but Jeff acted as if he hadn’t heard. “Okay, guys. Have fun, and I’ll pick you up at 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!” Rong Yi 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 Rong Yi. “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,” Rong Yi added. “The same is true of the Bible.” Jeff grinned sheepishly as Rong Yi 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 by faith and to continue to read the Bible and my Junior RPG so that I may grow to be a better child and Christian every day! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.