THE GIDEONS – “DARING DREAMERS”

The life we have is a gift of God. The days we see, is by the grace of God. The blessings we enjoy, as a child of God, is an abundant outpouring of God’s love and care. Now, how should we be living, if God had, and is, doing so much for us, who are utterly undeserving? Let us pause and think about, what are we doing with our lives? What are we doing with the time, talents and the opportunities so graciously bestowed upon us, by our LORD?

In the autumn of 1888, John H. Nicholson of Janesville, Wisconsin, checks in, at the Central Hotel, at Boscobel, Wisconsin, for the night. The hotel was fully booked, and he was given a choice to share a bed, in a double room, with Samuel E. Hill of Beloit, Wisconsin. Out of no other choice, John H. Nicholson took the offer. They soon discover, that they both are committed Christians, and decided to have their evening prayer together. During that time, they felt the call of God upon them both, to take their coming together, further, for the increase of the kingdom of God, by starting an organisation.

Taking that God given promoting forward, the two men meet again on 31 May, 1899, at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where they decided the purpose of their organisation. They wanted to work among the business travellers, and spread the gospel of Christ, and to encourage those who were in need of inspiration and upliftment.

On 1 July 1899, Samuel E. Hill, John Nicholson, along with W. J. Knights co-found the Gideons, a Christian organisation that desires to minister through the distribution of the Scriptures. Till date, the Gideons have placed over 12 million Bibles, and 100 million New Testaments, working all over the world. What a wonderful work!!!

Here is a true story of how the efforts of the Gideons, has impacted a man’s life, and transformed him forever.
– “A man went into a hotel in San Francisco, secured a room with the intention of committing suicide, and laid a vial of poison on the table while making preparations for the final act. When he stepped to the table, he discovered that accidentally he had put the vial upon a Gideon Bible. As he opened it, his eyes fell upon the reference: “If discouraged or in trouble, read Psalm 126 and John 14.” He read these two selections, threw the bottle of poison out of the window, knelt, and then and there gave his heart to God. He is today an active church member and a good citizen.” – “Witness to History” (page 44)

The Church today, more than ever, needs dreamers and doers, who will passionately desire, to live and preach the gospel, that is entrusted to us, by our LORD Jesus Christ, by every means possible, disregarding the consequences, before the doors close. 

Here is what our LORD and our Redeemer wants from us…
– “15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15
– “42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.” – Acts 10:42
– “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” – Matthew 28:19-20
– “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17

Samuel E. Hill, John Nicholson dreamed of doing something for the LORD. Latter, they both, along with W. J. Knights, founded the Gideons International. What about us? What can we do about the call of God? How creative and different, can we dream, to make this calling of ours, by our LORD, a practical reality? Even so the LORD help us.