Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

Nduri (this is Part II) was the little African widow living in a village on the slopes of Mt. Kenya who had been taught by the Presbyterian missionaries to reverence the Bible and the worship of God (thank God for their work!). In her “family worship” one day she read Hebrews 7, the story of the strange man, “Melchizedek,” who served God all alone, “without father, without mother,” vs. 3). She briefly marveled that any one could serve God all alone like that.

Then she hurried to sell her beans in the market, but no success for three days. In desperation, she walks many miles, dodging elephants, to Tharaka, where people always have cash for beans. There she listens to Pastor Solomon explain Bible truths she had never dreamed were therein;—the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the thousand years of Revelation 20, the glorious new earth yet to be created, we humans being mortal await immortality as a gift from Christ at His coming, on and on. The pastor’s sermon probably lasted all morning; he told everything he knew, including the news about the holy seventh day Sabbath of the Lord.

As he pleaded with the congregation for a decision to follow Jesus all the way, renouncing the world and its sinful ways, trusting in Him, taking up the cross to follow Jesus, her heart thrilled; she wanted to say “Yes!” but then she thought, “How can I serve the Lord all alone in my little village? I would be the only one there who kept the Sabbath as the Bible says we should; no, I’m afraid that being all alone I might not remain faithful!”

But then like a flash there popped into her mind that story about that strange man, “Melchisedek.”

“If he could serve the Lord all alone, I can, too!” Then came that smile of victory.

I get into the story later, because when I came up and met her, she asked me to baptize her, to seal her decision to follow Jesus every step of the way. (I’ll never forget that clear ice water in that stream that flowed from Mt. Kenya’s snow.) Until her death, Nduri remained an inspiration to many in Kenya, and those around the world who have heard her story.

Don’t despise the littleness of your witness for Jesus!

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.