THESE sayings are faithful and true. Centuries have elapsed since they were uttered by “the Lord himself” and “the Spirit of truth,” but He most surely will fulfill His promise, and give effect to it too, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” The return of the long-absent Lord and Bridegroom may well be the brightest expectation of His much-loved and dearly-purchased Church—a company of sinners loved with His infinite love, and redeemed by such a priceless sacrifice—a company destined to bear His glorious likeness through the ages to come, caught up from the grave and the earth; changed by His almighty life-giving power, at His coming again; ushered into the long-looked-for delight― “forever with the Lord.” Hallelujah!
Perhaps, unbeliever, you may be tempted to say―in heart if not by lips―that this is all a fair illusion, an ill-founded dream, or the phantom of some crack-brained theologist. Nay; “the time is at hand.” The return of the world-scorned Christ depends not upon your infidelity or your credulity, but upon the faithfulness of Him who hath said, “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching.” What will be supreme happiness and salvation for His own which are in the world will be supreme misery and damnation for those who know and love not our Lord Jesus Christ.
To know the Lover and Saviour of sinners is to love Him; and “if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha”―given up to judgment―for the Lord cometh. “When?” you may ask. “Perhaps today.” The words heading this exhortation are most suggestive.
Many years since I heard a servant of Christ say that upon a wall in a house in Otley there could be seen two words in a frame― “Perhaps today.” For those who believe that the long-absent Redeemer will soon return, they are very sweet, comforting, invigorating, soul-stirring, love-quickening, and holiness-producing words. So did they lay hold upon my heart that I had them reproduced, and hung in my house. Yea? after year they spoke to faith and love, stirring up to watchfulness and activity. The words got smoked, fly-blown, and soiled, but I could not destroy the speaking card, so gave it away to a dear loving sister, who loved and cherished a family of poor orphan children. Year after year these words spoke from their blue setting, ‘Perhaps today.’ Faith and love were produced in hearts. What they meant was clearly taught, and God owned the expressive watchword. And may He “fasten it like a nail in a sure place” in your soul this very hour.
Long after the orphan-lover had entered her rest, her daughter told me of the power of these words over one of noble birth, who loved the Lord, and who spoke of Him in the room where these beautiful words hung― “Perhaps today.” He had gone into company; his heart had got cold, not heeding the Master’s word, “What I say unto you I say unto you all, Watch”; he had let “things seen and temporal” dim his faith to “things not seen and eternal.” Walking along the busy street of the world’s largest city, all in a moment, as though a voice had spoken in his ear, the words on the card in the humble orphanage pealed into his soul― “Perhaps today.” “What,” thought he, “am I thus dishonoring my Lord? Oh! how ashamed I should feel should He come and find me thus backslidden in heart from Him.” It was a word in season (and how good it is), leading him to self-judgment and humiliation.
In conclusion, let me, dear reader, say to you that the event involved in the fulfillment of these words is of grave importance, because if unsaved, unwashed, unregenerate, and unconverted, it would fix your doom. It would be equivalent to the solemn statement in the parable: “The bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.”
Yes, oh! ―salvation neglecter,―Christ rejecter, gospel-hardened, Christless professor, and no-oil possessor, you will be outside, and never enter in. Ah! ye who have never really prayed will pray then; but all to no purpose. Like the privileged multitudes to whom Jesus spoke when here below, but who trusted Him not, He will say of you, Ye “shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. For when once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know ye not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” “Be ye therefore ready also.” “The Lord is ready to pardon” (Neh. 9:1717And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. (Nehemiah 9:17)).
“The heavenly Bridegroom soon will come,
To claim His bride, and take her home
To dwell with Him on high.
‘Trim your lamps and be ready!’
Is the midnight cry.”