I had been longing for something to do, or some special message to carry for Jesus, when I was ordered to duty in a strange ward. The sister in charge would be gone away for several hours. I felt very pleased to take this new duty in her absence, for this would give me a freedom which I could not have while she was there. Even in the wards there is often a jealousy about speaking to each other's patients.
Passing along the bedsides I observed a poor girl who had, along with other ailments, a bad case of dropsy. She was reading a book; but seeing a new nurse approaching, she laid it down upon the bed. I picked it up and read: "Food for the Children of God." I expressed pleasure to see her reading such a book, and she said it was indeed very good.
"Are you one of God's children?" I asked.
"Oh, no!" she replied. "I am not able to say that; I wish I were.”
I had time for only a few words, but I tried to encourage her to seek first to come to Christ as her Savior, for then she could fully enjoy the "food" as her own.
Later on I had to give her her medicine. When she had taken it I said: "If you could take Christ as easily as you have taken this medicine, would you not do it?”
"Oh, yes," she said, "I wish I could.”
"You can," I said. "'The gift of God is eternal life.' He will give it to you; He longs to bless and save you.”
I had no opportunity to visit that ward again until many days later. My dropsical friend was much weaker. I slipped in, and approached her bed. She at once recognized me, and putting her arms around my neck as I bent over her, she said: "Oh, nurse, I've got it! I am not afraid to die now!”
"What have you got?" I asked.
"Eternal life! And I shall never perish. No one can pluck me out of His hands." Then she added: "Nurse, I have you to thank.”
I stopped her by saying: "Both you and I have to thank God, for it is He who loved us and gave His only begotten and well beloved Son, that we might have eternal life through Him.”
By Grace
Grace offers to us "the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men." It does not ask man to bring works of righteousness to God. Jesus "came to seek and to save." God meets our need, and meets us just where we are. But too often the awakened sinner seems to think that grace has to be fetched by himself, as if the Savior must be brought to him by his own effort.
Helpless soul, be content to be saved. Who would bid the sick man run for the doctor? What nurse would tell the weak infant to feed itself? And has not God shown His pity by bringing His salvation to us? And has not the Lord Jesus manifested His love to sinners by coming into this world to save them?