GOD:
HIS MERCY

There is an old story that fits perfectly here about the Jewish rabbi centuries ago who consented to take a weary traveler into his house for a night’s rest.

After they had eaten together, the rabbi said, “You are a very old man, are you not?”

“Yes,” the traveler replied, “I am almost a century old.”

As they talked, the rabbi brought up the matter of religion and asked the visitor about his faith and about his relation to God.

“Oh, I do not believe in God,” the aged man replied. “I am an atheist.”

The rabbi was infuriated. He arose and opened the door and ordered the man from his house.

“I cannot keep an atheist in my house overnight,” he reasoned.

The weary old man said nothing but hobbled to the door and stepped out into the darkness. The rabbi again sat down by his candle and Old Testament, when it seemed he heard a voice saying, “Son, why did you turn that old man out?”

“I turned him out because he is an atheist and I cannot endure him overnight!”

But then the voice of God said, “Son, I have endured him almost 100 years—don’t you think you could endure him for one night?”

The rabbi leaped from his chair, rushed into the darkens and, over-taking the older man, brought him back into the house and then treated him like a long lost brother.

It was the mercy of God that had endured the atheist for nearly 100 years.…

Exodus 34:6–7; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:2–7

I Call It Heresy!, 50, 51.