A party of five young men set out together cycling to Cornwall, saying they would have “the time of their life, and go the whole hogg”! With this determination they entered into every kind of amusement and dissipation.
One of their number related to a servant of the Lord how it turned out for him. At the end of the week, as they got to their destination, his companions were so far gone with drink that he had to see them all to bed at night, and then retired to his own room. After closing the door the voice of conscience was heard; and one serious question challenged him. It was this: “What will be the end of all this?”
Deeply impressed that God was speaking to him, he felt greatly disturbed in heart and mind regarding the sinfulness of the course they were taking, and there can be no doubt that the Spirit of God was at work in his soul. His sins rose up before him like a black mountain; and with this an earnest desire for God’s forgiveness. He knelt at his bedside, and poured forth his heart to God, confessing with shame what he had been guilty of. The thought of the Lord Jesus came before him, and he earnestly sought Him as his Saviour. He could not sleep all the night, but it was not because of depression, for after a time he got the sense of God’s forgiveness; and the joy of God’s salvation filled his being to overflowing. What was wrought that night in his heart (and this without any human instrument) changed his after-life completely. It was as God’s Word expresses it, “He woundeth, and His hands make whole” (Job 5:1818For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. (Job 5:18)).
On meeting together with his associates next morning, he related to them his experience of the past night. But they only mocked him, and said, “You are no longer one of us” The result was that he left them, and pursued his way alone; but being conscious he was under the Lord’s eye, he was quite happy.
How well the Lord knows everyone who has a desire after Himself. It was so in the case of Zacchæus the publican. Because of the crowd which was moving on with the Saviour, he climbed into the sycamore tree to see Him as He passed by. But he soon discovered that Jesus not only knew his name, but what he wanted; and that He would not pass by without speaking to him. Looking up, He said, “Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” Promptly and ‘joyfully Zacchæus did so, and had the satisfaction of hearing from the lips of Jesus those comforting words, “This day is salvation come to this house... for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:5-105And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 8And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:5‑10)).
Here was one singled out and honored of the Lord, and so was the young cyclist referred to. May this thought encourage other exercised souls to approach with confidence the same blessed Saviour. Having died for our sins, He is now risen and glorified; and is at any moment ready, through infinite grace, to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. Happy then is every one who can say,
“I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad,
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.”
T. K.