“Well well,” said Grandmother, getting up and moving her chair to a place beside the window. “ Get your Bible, and we will both sit here while we play our game.” Peter dropped down on the low stool at Grandmother’s side, his new Bible in his hand. “We are going to find our treasures by looking in God’s Word, she ex plained. “ The verses that you find first, you may read, and those I find first, I shall read. The first will be Job 38:22.” Peter read, “ Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” He looked up, surprised. “ Treasures — in the snow? I never thought of that.” The next clew for the hunt was Job 37:6. This time Grandmother found it first, and she read slowly, “ ‘For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth.’ You see, Peter,” she ex plained, “ in the earth’s cradle, mil lions of tiny seeds are sleeping, and if it were not for the nice snow blan ket, these tiny seeds would be frozen. They could never grow to be plants and trees. “ The snow is important for another reason,” grandmother went on. “ In the winter it is stored up on the mountains. Then when warm weather comes, it is melted, and flows to re fresh the dry places on the earth.” “ I guess snow is pretty necessary after all, isn’t it?” questioned Peter. “ Indeed it is! . . . And now, our next stop on our treasure hunt is at Psalm 147:16.” Peter read, “ ‘He giveth snow like wool.’ ” “ Snow is one of God’s gifts to earth. And what a beautiful gift it is! See how softly the snowflakes fall — like bits of fleecy wool. If you could look at each one through a magnifying glass you would see a beautiful figure in the shape of a six-pointed star.” “Why — that’s wonderful!” ex claimed Peter. The next verse to be found was Isaiah 1:18, and because Grandmother and Peter found it at the same time, they read it together, “ Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’ ” “ Peter,” said Grandmother as they finished reading. “ I believe this verse will lead you to that most precious treasure of all.” “What do you mean, Gram?” “ I will tell you. To begin with, our verse has told us that your sins are as scarlet. That means that they are like a certain shade of red which is. almost impossible to remove from anything which it stains. Look at the snow. See how clean and pine it is! God wants your heart to be just like
THE TREASURE HUNT P eter Blair stood with his face pressed against the windowpane of the room. “ Oh dear! It’s snowing again,” he complained as he watched the big white flakes coming down faster and faster. The ground was white, and the branches of the trees were bend ing low under their load of snow. “A ll my plans are spoiled — just spoiled.” And Peter looked like he might cry. “ God made the snow,” reminded Grandmother Blair from her chair by the fireplace. Sh e sa t k n i t t i n g a sweater for Peter’s big brother who was in the army. “ I know He did, Gram,” Peter re plied. “ But I don’t see why He had to have it snow again today when I had such particular plans.” “ Perhaps He has better plans for you today.” “ But Gram,” argued Peter, “ what could be better than spending a whole day at Ted’s, on the ranch? We were going horseback riding this morning, and his dad promised to take us on a hike this afternoon. I’ve counted on it a lot; and now it’s snow ing — and the road’s blocked — and the snowplow’s broken!” He slumped down on the window seat, and looked very unhappy. Grandmother laid aside her knit ting. “ Peter,” she said, “I think a treas ure hunt would be something like a hike, wouldn’t it? I know of a thrill ing one — a snow treasure hunt.” Peter was puzzled. “How can we ever have a treasure hunt? It’s snow ing too hard for anybody to hide the treasure,” he said. “ Oh, this is a new kind of treasure hunt -¿^.different than any you know about,”1 c o n t i n u e d Grandmother. “There are a number of treasures to be found. But there is one that is very special. I hope you will find it.” “ So do I!” Peter’s face was bright with interest. 9. “Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and ye laid no hold on me.” SPEAKER........................ 10. “ I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men . . . Call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.”
“Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."
it. God knows that you could not take sin and its stain out of your heart, so He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to do this for you. If you will accept Christ as your Saviour, He will wash your sin away and make your heart clean and pure like the snow. Would you like to have Him do this for you?” Peter looked out of the window, and he was very thoughtful as he said, “ I’d like to have my heart white like that snow.” Then he slipped from his stool, and knelt beside Grandmother. When she explained to him how he could re ceive the Saviour, he asked the Lord Jesus to come into his heart, and wash away all his sin. Of course, the Lord Jesus answered his prayer. Peter was so happy that he forgot about going to the ranch. He had found the great Treasure, the. Lord Jesus Christ. —M.S.H. ANSWERS FOR BRAIN-TEASERS 1. Gideon (Judges 7:15). 2. Paul (Acts 25:11). 3. Moses (Exodus 14:13). 4. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:16,18). 5. Peter (Acts 5:29). 6. Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:3). 7. Samson (Judges 16:28). 8. David (I Samuel 17:45). 9. Jesus (Matthew 26:55). 10. Elijah (I Kings 18:22, 24).
SPEAKER........................ — By Vincent Edwards
49
JANUARY, 1959
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