One Lord’s day afternoon, the writer was feeling much troubled on account of certain sorrows that had come along; when he remembered that the previous day, he had had the address given him of an aged saint of God, who was quite alone, and by whom a visit would be much appreciated. But for a time I shrank from venturing to go, under the impression that a troubled heart would be of little use for the cheer and encouragement of another. But I asked the Lord to direct me, and towards evening, I felt I must go. I found the dear old soul very bright, and soon learned from her that she was beyond ninety years of age. I began to speak of that, the meditation of which, is the sweetest consolation to the heart of a tried saint of God, namely, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. This dear old soul said:
“Ah! I was brought to the Lord Jesus Christ when quite a young girl, and it is still fresh before me, the rapture I felt when first my heart was given to respond to my Saviour’s love.
“O! I cannot tell you how sweet it has been all my life to pass on in the calm assurance that His love abides when all else fails. I have had much trouble and sorrow, but He has not for a moment failed me, and I am sure He will not now.”
I asked her how long she had known the Lord. She replied:
“Only seventy-three years.”
“And you have not grown weary,” I asked, “of the joy that the knowledge of Him yields?”
“O! no,” she replied; “but He becomes more precious to me every day I live.”
And clasping her hands in an ecstasy of delight, she looked up with a heavenly joy, exclaiming;
“And O! I don’t know now whatever I should do without Him.”
O! my dear reader, if you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will readily understand what encouragement that visit was to me. As I walked home, I thought,
Well, if the blessed knowledge and assurance of the love of Christ my Saviour, can sustain a soul all those many years, none need allow doubts and misgivings to enter their heart.
O! I thought, what an answer the testimony of this dear old soul was, to the scoffs and jeers of those who say that the heart soon gets tired of these “old fashioned” things, for, for seventy-three long years she had walked in company with her Lord; her enjoyment of His love increasing as time went on, and she proved that He was true to His faithful promise, never to leave nor forsake.
“Jesus Christ; whom not having seen, ye love: in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:7-87That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:7‑8)).
I need not say, dear reader, how very comforted I felt, and thankful to the Lord for having sent me on that visit.
What a sad mistake many people make in supposing that if they turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, they must give up all joy in life. Why, if you do not know Him, and His love is nothing to you, I am sure you do not know what real joy is. How can you be happy in your sins, with nothing to anticipate for the future, but death, and the judgment of God?
O! believe me, as one who has enjoyed the knowledge of the love of Christ for a number of years, that one hour’s enjoyment of that love is worth a whole life’s professed enjoyment of the pleasures and gaieties of the world. The former abides, and satisfies; but the latter only sickens the heart, and it all ultimately passes away.
O! that I could induce you to taste and see that the Lord is good! To prove His love, He has suffered the terrors of Calvary’s cross, to atone by His death for sin; and to meet the awful need of your guilty soul, has laid down His life, and shed His precious blood to purge away your sins. O! what love!
Dear friend, if you want to be happy, and have a bright hope for eternity, you must come to Him! He is worthy of your trust having unselfishly proved His love to be stronger than death, and in a little while, He will come for His own, to take them to glory, that there they may rapturously enjoy for eternity that same love, which they have, through grace, feasted upon here.
My earnest desire, dear reader, is that in this, the day of God’s grace, you may respond to a Saviour’s dying love, and learn to know Him as your own Saviour, and all the praise and glory shall forever be His.