The GOD Who Made Chaluba's Hands

It's so amazing how God puts in each of us a desire to know our Creator.   And God promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him(Jeremiah 29:11).  This week I came across a story that reminded me of some of the villages that I've visited.  Many years ago, I had the privilege of sharing the gospel in India. Our message was a message of hope as we shared about the God that made the clay that they made their God's out of. 

I wanted to share the story that my girls and I keep talking about.  It really touched our hearts. 

The GOD Who Made Chaluba's Hands

 

Chaluba watched with pleasure as the thin shavings of wood curled away from his knife. Surely this would be the best god he had ever made. He had been carving idols ever since he was old enough to hold a knife in his hand, but never before had he made one with such a fierce expression on its face. Chaluba smiled as he carved the thin lines for the eyes, the mouth, and the hands.

Suddenly, Chaluba stopped carving. "I am making this god's hands," he thought. "I wonder who made my hands? Surely it was not this idol that I am carving. Why, I have the power to make him or to destroy him. The GOD Who Made My Hands must be much greater than this idol, for my hands can do many things. But who is HE, I wonder? I have never heard the people in the village speak of HIM, not even the witch doctor."

Chaluba laid aside his knife and sat thinking. If only he knew more about the GOD Who Made His Hands!

Soon, the people of the village began talking about Chaluba. "Have you heard?" they said. "Chaluba is not carving idols any more, and he refuses to worship the village gods. The gods will be angry, and something terrible will happen to us."

Finally, the news reached the ears of the witch doctor himself, and he called Chaluba before him. "What is this I hear," he said, "that you not only refuse to do your work, but you also have stopped worshiping our gods? Is it true?"

Chaluba bowed low before the witch doctor, and then he stood straight and tall. "Oh, sir, it is true," he said. "I can not longer worship gods that I have the power to make or destroy. I want to worship the GOD Who Made My Hands. But who is HE? Can you tell me about HIM?"

The witch doctor and the town leaders rose in anger against Chaluba. "The gods will punish us if we allow someone in our village to talk like that." they shouted. "We must kill this boy."

Chaluba ran for his life through the village, across a field, and deep into the jungle. Finally,when he was sure that he was no longer being followed, he dropped, panting, beneath a large tree.

"Now, what shall I do?" he wondered. "I cannot go back to the village-the people would surely kill me. I know! I shall look for the GOD Who Made My Hands. Who knows? Perhaps I shall find HIM."

Chaluba climbed high up into the tree. It was dark now, and he needed to protect himself from wild animals.

Far off in the jungle, a lion roared, and another answered "The GOD Who Made My Hands must have made the lions, too," Chaluba thought, "and this tree, and everything that is in the jungle. I wonder what HE thinks of the things HE has made? Does HE love them and take care of them?"

With this thought, Chaluba fell asleep. He awoke early the next morning and determined to begin his search.

Chaluba wandered from village to village, always asking, "Have you seen the GOD Who Made My Hands? Can you tell me about HIM?"

Always, the frightened people shouted, "The gods will be angry!"And Chaluba had to run for his life.

At last, someone told Chaluba of a very old and very wise man named Mamba. Mamba had gone to the government post years ago, and had returned to his village with a magic that made marks on wood and paper talk.

"Perhaps this wise man can tell me what I want to know," Chaluba thought. He went to Mamba's village, found the hut where he lived, and told him his story. "And you, who are so wise," Chaluba said, "can you tell me about the GOD Who Made My Hands?I do want to know HIM!"

Mamba was so old that his voice trembled as he replied, "My son," he said, "many years ago I went down the river to the government post and learned to read, for that is the magic of marks on wood and paper. While I was there, I heard someone speak of a Book which tells of a GOD who made the jungle and all that is in it. I have never seen that Book myself, but if you stay here with me, I will teach you to read, and then maybe you can find the Book for yourself,"

Chaluba did stay with Mamba for days, weeks, and months. He studied hard each day, and finally he knew the magic of reading. After he had been with Mamba for about a year, Mamba died, and Chaluba was left alone.

"Now, what shall I do? he thought. "I know! I shall go down the river to the government post and find the GOD Who Made My Hands."

Chaluba made himself a canoe and began the long, lonely trip down the river. He paddled for days and days, and at last he saw the buildings of the government post. Would he find the answer to his question here?

With fear in his heart, Chaluba approached the strange white man who stood in the doorway of one of the buildings. "Please, sir," he said, " I am looking for the GOD Who Made My Hands. Does HE live here?"

The men only laughed. "Go back to your village," he said gruffly. "There is no room for you here."

In despair, Chaluba paddled back up the river to his village. Before he entered the village, he fell to his knees. "Oh, GOD Who Made My Hands," he cried, "I have tried and tried to find YOU, but always I fail. If YOU want me to know YOU, YOU must show YOURSELF to me."

To earn a living, Chaluba became a hunter. Sometimes he would be gone for many days looking for meat for the people of the village. As he returned from on such trip, the people ran to meet him.

"Oh, Chaluba," they cried. "What you have missed while you were gone! The very day that you left, a strange man came to the village with a box of black Books. He spoke to us of a GOD who made the jungle and all that is within it, and who loves the things that HE made, and...But wait! When we told him about you and your magic of reading, he left one of the Books for you. It is on the platform in the center of the village."

Chaluba trembled as he approached the center of the village. Could this be his answer at last? He stepped onto the platform and reached for the Book.

With shaking hands, he opened it to the first page and read:

"In the beginning GOD created the Heaven and the earth."

Could this Book really be about the GOD Who Made His Hands? On and on Chaluba read, not stopping even to eat.

"No man hath seen GOD at any time; the only begotten Son...hath declared HIM."

"For GOD so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life."

At last, Chaluba closed the Book. Falling to his knees, he cried out, "Oh, GOD Who Made My Hands, I do believe that. I believe that YOU made me and that YOU love me. I believe that YOU sent YOUR SON to die for my sins. At last, I have found YOU! I have found the GOD Who Made My Hands."

~Author Unknown~