AT THE time of the Californian gold rush a man went to the mining country and left his wife to follow him some time afterward. While on her voyage with her little boy, the vessel caught fire. There was a powder-magazine on board and the captain knew that when the flames reached it the ship would be blows up. The fire could not be got under control, so all took to the lifeboats’ but there was not room for everyone.
As the last boat pushed off, the mother and boy stood on the deck. One of the sailors said there was room for one more. What did the mother do? She decided to perish herself in order to save her boy. She, dropped him into the boat, and with a mother’s last look, said: “If you should live to see your father, tell him that I died in your place.” Do you think when that boy grew up he could ever forget the love of his mother who died to save him?
This is only a faint shadow of what Christ has done for you and me. He took our place. He died for our sins. He left heaven for that purpose. Will you go away saying, “I see no beauty in Him.” God forbid that when you come to leave this world, you will be found without Christ, and without God, and without hope!
ML-09/02/1962