For Want of Knowledge

 

 I told you this story about three years ago and I am repeating it because I believe it is good value: The body of a 60-year-old man by the name of Timothy Gray was found under a bridge in Wyoming in the United States.

  He apparently died of Hypothermia as it was winter there and he had insufficient clothing to keep him warm in the extreme cold.

It is not uncommon for homeless people to take refuge from the elements under a bridge as it offers some protection from rain and snow, but not nearly enough if you are poorly clad and there is a cold wind blowing.

There was however a double tragedy in this case as the authorities had been trying to locate this man since early in 2011 to inform him that he was heir to a considerable fortune: $19 Million in fact, because a relative, Huguette Clark, had left it to him in her will when she died at the age of 104.

Now I don’t know what problems he may have had, (if any), apart from a shortage of money, but he could have bought a motel, to live in, like the one in the photo, or a lovely house, and still had $17,000,000 spending money left over. What a shame he didn’t know that. Does that make you wish you had a rich relative like he had?  Well, in fact you do! Jesus said He went to prepare a mansion for those who believe on him; so If we do believe and have asked Him for forgiveness we now qualify as Christians, which means we also take on the responsibility of behaving the way God sets out in the New Testament and that means we are now accepted as “children of God and if children then heirs, and Joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17).

To be heir to a place in the Kingdom of God is a remarkable privilege and should be treated as such. After all it is an Eternal inheritance. What Timothy Gray could have inherited pales into insignificance compared to what Christians do inherit! With Holy Spirit assistance commencing right now.

The dreadful tragedy though is that thousands of people are dying every day who do not know that they have the right to be Joint heirs with Jesus, and will therefore never claim that inheritance, just as Timothy Gray didn’t claim his fortune for the same reason. The bible says “For lack of knowledge my people are destroyed”. (Hosea 4:6 and Isaiah 5:13) Isn’t that sad?

Most people know the name of Jesus; In fact, many people I have known use the name “Jesus” or “Christ”, or both, in every sentence they speak, not as a prayer, but as a swear word. Now they weren’t born to think that way; they obviously picked it up from someone who didn’t appreciate that Jesus Christ suffered and died so that they could be forgiven any sin they have committed. And He did that because He loved them so much that He wants them to inherit Eternal life.

The reason I write these articles each week is three fold: Firstly, I want to encourage those who are endeavouring to live as Christians; I have been studying to live as a follower of Jesus for 66 years and may be able to help “younger” Christians and others, in some way, with these articles.

Secondly, I want to encourage those who have just been “toying” with Christianity to “dig a bit deeper” and find the “precious Gold” that is contained in the Bible and in the New Testament in particular.

Thirdly, I hope that those who may have so far ignored Christ, might consider looking more closely at the statements made by the one who loved them enough to die for them, which is quite an unusual thing to do; the bible puts it like this: “For a righteous man some might even dare to die but God commendeth His love toward us in that whilst we were yet sinners Christ died for us”.  Now that is special love, isn’t it?   Best wishes, Tom.