The Waste Paper Basket

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WHEN preaching one day in a town, a message came to me from a young woman staying at another place, that she would be glad to see me. So I walked across to that town. Calling at the house indicated, I was welcomed by the young woman, who asked me to come in.
I sat down, and at once she began to explain why she had sent for me.
“You will not know me,” she began, “but I have heard of you through your sister, Mrs. Price, for whom I worked for several years. Every now and then you sent gospel books through the post addressed to her and her husband, the doctor. These books are generally thrown into the waste paper basket. Part of my duties each morning was to empty this basket of its contents, and those books which they cast away as worthless, I valued, kept, and read, and through God’s mercy, they were the means of my conversion. Hearing you were preaching so near, I sent for you, as I felt sure you would be pleased to hear of me. I am housekeeper to a doctor here, and cannot easily get out to attend any meetings, or you may be sure I would have come to hear you.”
Hearing this testimony of God’s grace from her lips caused my heart to rejoice, and you may be sure I thanked God, and took fresh courage to go on with that service, which undoubtedly had His approval, although my relatives failed to appreciate or profit by my efforts.
God says, “My Word... shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:1111So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11).
How true it is that if some refuse God’s invitation, He will call others, so that His house may be filled (Luke 14:2323And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23)).
Unsaved friend, the fact that God’s servants are still on the earth proclaiming the glad tidings, proves that there is still room for you. God offers you salvation now. Will you accept it freely, and go on your way to heaven rejoicing?
Another relative of mine, whom I called on at his office, after some conversation, pointed to the waste paper basket, saying, “Look here, Bob, there is where all your tracts go.”
A good depot, thought I, there to lie under the eye of God, to be used by Him to some office cleaner, or scavenger or rubbish searcher, to their salvation through reading them, while the wealthy businessman who despises God’s Word, seeks in vain for happiness in the things of this perishing world.
Let us go on sowing the good seed with fresh courage. God must have His harvest.
“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal. 6:99And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9).
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Eccles. 11:66In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. (Ecclesiastes 11:6).
“Him that cometh” — listen! listen!
“I in no wise will cast out.”
Oh, believe the loving Saviour,
Do not hesitate nor doubt.
In the precious blood of Jesus,
Come and wash thy sins away;
He “forgiveth,” “healeth,” “cleanseth,”
Oh, believe His word today!
ML-04/22/1962