LILY is a child about eleven years old, who lives in a small town. She is the eldest of five children. Her parents, though poor in this world, are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to them that love Him. And because they love their children very much, and want them to share these true riches, and be heirs of the kingdom of God, they take great pleasure and care in training them up in the way they should go. Therefore, besides teaching them at home, they send them regularly to Sunday-school. There Lily had many times heard of the love of Jesus when on earth, and had often joined in singing:
“And still the kind Saviour bids little children welcome.
For Jesus’ loving, tender heart to chil dren is the same;
Though here His voice is no more heard,
From heaven itself He speaks the word,
‘Suffer the children to come unto Me.’”
Although Lily knew so much about Jesus, she did not yet know Him as her own Saviour. She had not yet come to Jesus in faith. But the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep was watching over this little lamb. One day, last winter, Lily was helping her grand-mamma and aunty Hester, who are both crippled with rheumatism. They live in the next cottage: When Lily had finished, the chairs were drawn round the cheerful fire, and aunty asked her to repeat to them the verses she had learnt for the Sunday-school Anniversary. After some hesitation Lily commenced. Presently she came to the words:
“The Lord, in the day His anger, did lay
Your sins on the Lamb, and He bore them away.”
That same moment the light shone into her heart, and she realized for the first time that her sins were all gone. “Why, aunty!” she exclaimed, “then they are not on me, if Jesus has borne them all away!”
Can you say this, my dear reader? Do you know whether your sins are gone? Listen to these precious words which God has written to you in the Bible: “Who His own self [Jesus] bore our [all believers’] sins in His own body on the tree.” And,
“Children now in Him believing,
Everlasting life receive.
Come in faith to Him for pardon.
He has died that thou may’st live.”
ML 11/22/1903