“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." — (Rom. 10:13.)
“Doctor, how long have I to live?" The speaker was a lady somewhat past middle age, who had entered the consulting-room of a Christian doctor, personally known to the writer. He was not her medical adviser; she did not even wish to place herself under his care, but she had been told that Dr. N did not hide from his patients his opinion with regard to their real state of health.
A few leading questions, a careful examination, and then the doctor said, very gently, "If the disease continues to make the same rapid progress it has done lately, I should say it cannot be more than three or four months.”
“Thank you, doctor," and Miss V rose to go, seemingly unmoved by what she had heard. But could one who knew the Lord Jesus as his own trusted Savior let her depart thus; so near eternity, and yet, perhaps, unsaved? Detaining her for a few moments, he began to speak of unseen things. She appeared grateful, and, before leaving, had accepted some Gospel books, and Dr. N had received permission to ask a friend of his own to call upon her.
Two days later the visitor called, and received a cordial welcome. After a little conversation about her health, Miss V spoke freely of her past history, and felt need of salvation. For nearly twenty years she had filled a responsible post as Matron of a large Infirmary. “I have," she said, "been present at hundreds of death-beds, I very often read the Bible to my patients, and always begged any who were so ill that it did not seem likely that they could recover to allow me to send for the clergyman; if anyone tried to be a good woman, I have, and yet, after all, I am not sure that God is pleased with me.”
“You are making a very common mistake, dear friend," said her visitor, "you expect God to be satisfied with your doing, and do not yet see, that He has been not only perfectly satisfied, but glorified by a work already DONE, the work of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross." Then a Bible was opened, and several passages read showing the willingness of God to receive and pardon ALL, who, owning their need, accept salvation as a FREE GIFT; and the old, yet ever new, story of the Love of God in the gift of His Son, was again very simply told. Miss V seemed to drink in every word. On this and the two following visits, the visitor was encouraged to hope that, though she had not given a clear testimony as to her knowledge of forgiveness through the precious Blood of Christ, a work of God was going on in her soul. And then the door, for a time at least, was suddenly, strangely closed. The visitor called several times, but was not allowed to see the one in whom she had grown so deeply interested. “Miss V was too ill to see anyone, or had retired early, and had given orders that she was not to be disturbed," was all she could learn. And a chill seemed to creep over her spirit, and a dim, vague sense of defeat and disappointment almost to weigh her down. Still, God, she knew, was the hearer and answerer of prayer, and He was able to open even the fast-barred door.
And so the days went by, and the one who was longing and praying for Miss V received by post, a box of snowdrops. “How lovely!" she exclaimed. "I will take them to Miss V. Even if I am not able to see her, the flowers, with a message, may reach her.”
To her surprise the door was opened by a stranger a bright, pleasant-faced young woman, who made no objection to her going at once to the room of the invalid. Miss V received her with, "Why have you been so long in coming? I should have sent for you, had I known your address.”
During the conversation that followed, Miss V told her friend that she was not afraid to die, for, as a sinner, she had trusted herself to the Savior. It was the last time they met; forty-eight hours after, the Lord gently put her to sleep in the spotless robe of righteousness, of which the snowdrop is so beautiful an emblem.
Flowers are often God's silent messengers to sick, lonely and tired people.
“The Savior beheld them unfolding in beauty,
And flinging their wealth at His feet;
True lover of Nature, He drew precious lessons,
From natural things that were sweet.”
It will, I think, give a fresh interest to our woodland rambles, if we remember that birds and flowers were used by the Lord as object lessons. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matt. 6:28, 2928And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28‑29).)
It is too early in the year to expect to find many wild flowers; still:
“When the trees are leafless,
When the fields are bare,
Buttercups and dasies,
Spring up everywhere.”
Have you ever stopped to admire a daisy? It is a really beautiful, perfect flower. Its dainty fringe of white petals are arranged in such regular order round its golden center, closing as the shadows lengthen, and twilight comes on. Its name is said to come to us from Saxon times, daisy (day's-eye) It was so called because it is always looking up. May it not remind us of a beautiful verse in one of the Psalms? “My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up." (Psalm 5:33My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:3).)
The German name of this pretty flower is said to mean “child of light,"and we must not forget that all true believers are “children of light." Nellie, who has brought her pocket Bible, opens it and reads, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light." (Eph. 5:88For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8).)
The Sparrow is one of the earliest of nest-builders, the first brood of the season often being hatched by the end of February, or beginning of March. The nest of the Sparrow is one of the most easy to find, it is a domed nest, built with a roof, an opening being left at the side. It is made of grass, small twigs, hair, straw, and any odds and ends the birds can find; feathers form a soft lining, but the work always seems to have been done in a hurry, and is never neatly finished; loose straws, left hanging, often betray the whereabouts of the nest. Sparrows often build near houses, an ivy-covered wall being a favorite nesting-place. They are noisy little birds, and, where they build in large numbers, the chirping and scolding that goes on seems almost endless. “Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matt. 6:2626Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26).)