: John 3:16 : al Hartman May 31, 2003, 07:26:01 AM Someone sent the following to my oldest daughter, Hannah, in the form of a chain e-letter. She sent it on to me. It is a warm-hearted prestentation, and i decided to share it here: ............................................................. JOHN 3:16 > > In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a > > blizzard was setting in. A > > little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the > > people were in and out > > of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he > > wasn't trying to sell many > > papers. > > > > He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you > > wouldn't happen to know > > where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep > > tonight would you? You > > see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and > > down the alley and it's > > awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice > > to have a warm place to > > stay," > > > > The policeman looked down at the little boy and > > said, "you go down the > > street to that big white house and you knock on the > > door. When they come out > > the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let > > you in." > > > > So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the > > door, and a lady > > answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The > > lady said, "Come on in, > > Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a > > split bottom rocker in front > > of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The > > boy sat there for a > > while and thought to himself: John 3:16....I don't > > understand it, but it > > sure makes a cold boy warm. > > > > Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" > > He said, "Well, just a > > little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I > > guess I could stand a > > little bit of food," The lady took him in the > > kitchen and sat him down to a > > table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until > > he couldn't eat any more. > > Then he thought to himself: John 3:16... Boy, I sure > > don't understand it but > > it sure makes a hungry boy full. > > > > She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge > > bathtub filled with warm > > water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As > > he soaked, he thought to > > himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, > > but it sure makes a dirty > > boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real > > bath, in my whole life. The > > only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of > > that big old fire hydrant > > as they flushed it out. > > > > The lady came in and got him. She took him to a > > room, tucked him into a big > > old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his > > neck, kissed him goodnight > > and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness > > and looked out the > > window at the snow coming down on that cold night, > > he thought to himself: > > John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes > > a tired boy rested. > > > > The next morning the lady came back up and took him > > down again to that same > > big table full of food. After he ate, she took him > > back to that same big old > > split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and > > picked up a big old Bible. > > She sat down in front of him and looked into his > > young face. > > > > "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. > > > > He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I > > ever heard it was last > > night when the policeman told me to use it," She > > opened the Bible to John > > 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right > > there, in front of that > > big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to > > Jesus. He sat there and > > thought: John 3:16. .. .. I don't understand it, but > > it sure makes a lost > > boy feel safe. > > > > You know, I have to confess I don't understand it > > either, how God was > > willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus > > would agree to do such > > a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father > > and every angel in > > heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't > > understand the intense > > love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the > > end. I don't understand > > it, but it sure does make life worth living. > > > > John 3:16 > > For God so loved the world, that he gave his only > > begotten Son, that > > whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but > > have everlasting life. ................................................................ ...the text was followed by some typical chain letter instructions about forwarding it to others and praying, but i hope & expect that everyone on this BB will know what to do with the gospel... God bless, al |