“PAST—future. What are they? Shadows! The past is a memory—the future a hope. The present is the only thing we have given us; it stands waiting with its hand outstretched. How many of us grasp it? We are all lost among the shadows!”
Such were the words that caught my eye on what some people call a “play-card” (placard), thus unintentionally perhaps stating its true character, viz. a card of the play. This one consisted of quotations from a play which was being acted in the place where I was staying, to show—I presume—its high moral tone. If so, it was the sugar with which the devil coats some of his poison-pills. For if he can only get people’s minds occupied with the unreal, he knows well enough he will close out from them what is real and of eternal importance to their precious souls.
“There is many a true word spoken in jest,” says the proverb. And there is many a true word used in a play which is in the main a fiction.
Let us consider the above words. They are doubtless true enough of the unconverted, pleasure-loving crowd. But, thank God, to the Christian the past, though it be a memory, is a reality, and no shadow. The future, though it be a hope, is a certainty, and no shadowy one either.
But how true of the unconverted that “the present is the only thing we have given us; it stands waiting with its hand outstretched.” Yes, God in His rich mercy, “Our SAVIOUR-GOD, Who will have all men to be saved,” has given men this day of grace, this “day of salvation,” has lengthened it out in “long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (1 Tim. 2:3, 43For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3‑4); 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)). THE PRESENT, then, is given you, dear reader, that you may repent and believe the glad. tidings of full and free salvation in a risen, glorified Saviour. For “behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). “Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:7,87Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:7‑8)).
Will you then grasp the outstretched hand of this golden present in which, and in which alone, such priceless blessings are offered you?
“Tomorrow too late may be.”
“The road of ‘by and by’ leads to the town of never,” says the Spanish proverb. How many procrastinators, blinded by the god of this world, have found it to be a true one, to their own eternal loss.
Hundreds of years ago a man was suddenly awakened out of his sleep by an earthquake.
So terrified was he by what might result from the doors of the prison, of which he was governor, being thrown open by the earthquake, that he was about to commit suicide. Happily, however, he was stopped by the voice of one of the prisoners, assuring him they were all there. Calling for a light he sprang in and, trembling, fell down before two of his prisoners, to whose sufferings he himself had added gratuitous cruelty. Bringing them out, he demanded of them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And was immediately told, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Grasping the outstretched hand of a present offer of salvation, and listening with all readiness of mind to “the word of the Lord,” which was spoken to him by His servants, he believed there and then with rejoicing. Instead of destroying him, God saved him. Then he testified to the reality of his faith by submitting to be baptized, he and all his straightway, and by treating God’s servants with every kindness (Acts 16:22-3422And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. (Acts 16:22‑34)).
To this man his guilty past was no shadow. To have peace with God as to it all was no shadow. To be in the enjoyment of His favor through Christ in the present was no shadow. And the glory of God, in the certain hope of which he could rejoice, was no shadow; nor was it a shadow to have the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given to him (see Rom. 5:1,2,51Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1‑2)
5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)). Neither are they shadows to any believer “on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:24,2524But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24‑25)). However it may be with the poor worldling, believers are not “lost among the shadows.”
And how is it with you, dear reader? The “year of grace” 1907 is fast hastening to a close. You have reached its last month. Still long-suffering mercy waits, and stretches forth its hand with forgiveness, justification, and salvation for you. Will you grasp it Now? To paraphrase a well-known gospel hymn:—
Next year the sun may never rise
Upon thy long-deluded sight;
This is the time, oh, then be wise,
Why not today be saved, outright?
True for us, too, dear fellow-believer, that “the present is the only time given us,” in which to live and testify to, and work for Him Who died for us. Work “while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” Soon shall we hear His summoning shout to meet Him in the air. Soon we shall see His blessed face. Soon will He receive us to Himself, that where He is we may be also—with Him “in the Father’s house.”
Soon those who amid reproach and shame have sought to do His pleasure and serve Him, will hear His “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” This may be the last year we shall have in which to serve Him here.
“Then let us always watch and pray,
For time is hasting fast away,
And Jesus’ coming nigh.”
W. G. B.
Utter Badness and Perfect Grace. —“What enabled Peter afterward to strengthen his brethren? He discovered that there was utter badness in himself when he meant best, and that there is perfect grace in Christ even when he did worst.” J. N. D.