A Lesson From The Arabs

Some years ago, several Arab chieftains accompanied that famous First World War character, Lawrence of Arabia, to the Paris Peace Conference. The Arabs saw many wonderful things in the great city, but the most amazing sight to them was the running water in their hotel rooms. It seemed to them impossible that by simply turning a faucet they could have an almost inexhaustible flow of water without effort or expense.

They had been accustomed all their lives to consider water as a scarce commodity. They know its great value and, from experience, the difficulty of obtaining it.

At the end of the conference and as the delegates were preparing to depart, Lawrence saw his chieftains trying to remove the faucets from the walls of their rooms so they could fix them to walls in their own rooms at home and continue to have an exhaustless water supply without effort in their barren deserts!

It required considerable time and patience to explain that the faucets alone were utterly valueless.

We smile at the simple-mindedness of the Arab chiefs, but we have all been guilty of such actions. We take an example from an account in the lives of the children of Israel.

"Israel went out against the Philistines to battle. Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about 4,000 men. And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that it may save us. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and there was a great slaughter; for there fell of Israel 30,000 footmen" (1Samuel 4:1-3,5,10).

The Arabs trusted in the detached faucets for water, and the Israelites trusted in the visible ark of the covenant, detached from God Who is the true Source of supply.

Some trust in their good upbringing as a reason why God’s favour should be theirs. Others trust in good deeds and almsgiving as a merit to bring God’s blessing to them. Some trust in long prayers and religious observances. Others trust that fasting will recommend them to God. ‘Useless, if detached'.

"All our righteousness are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

Reading of Psalm for prayer will disappoint you like the detached faucets would have disappointed the Arabs. ‘Useless, if detached'.

Do you still trust in good morals to recommend you to God? Do you hope to be saved because you try to ‘Obey the ten commandments, love your neighbour as yourself, do good to anyone you see and have a clear conscience towards everybody'? Do you say that these are things that will qualify one for heaven? Ask yourself, have you done all these today? Of course, no. All these are incapable of saving you unless the source is God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift through Jesus Christ.

False hopes are costly for they shall cause eternal regret and cause you to wail in anguish of deepest regrets in eternity. Baptism, whether of the infant or of the adult, whether sprinkling or immersion – cannot save you. Don’t be satisfied with the useless detached faucets. Be sure you have the real thing – the passport to heaven: heart cleansing. God gives it through Jesus Christ. You may trust in being ‘baptized in the Holy Spirit’, dreaming and seeing visions, prophesying, speaking in tongues and interpreting while you are still SINNING – ‘useless if detached’; How can that be, do you say? Well, God does not baptize dogs (sinners) in the Holy Spirit. He only says if His children ask for the Holy Ghost, He’ll fill them. It’s only for children – and who is a child? "Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin for the seed of God remains in him and he cannot sin" (1John 3:9).

Going to consult prophets and attending revival services every day is not what God requires of you. ‘Useless if detached'.

Nothing less than God can save.

Do not have faith in anything less than God. "Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name (and no other thing) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Only Jesus can save.

Jesus died that you may live. His death is the only remedy for your sins. Pray to God with faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and you will be saved from the guilt of sin, from the love of sin, from the power of sin and from the consequence of sin.

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).

"Now why tarriest thou? Wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

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Thirsty for water?