A SHORT time ago, my attention was called to a printed bill, in which the loss of two boys was advertised, and a reward offered to anyone who should restore them to their sorrowing parents. The boys who had strayed were brothers, of the ages of twelve and six years, and, if I rightly remember, had been absent from home for nearly two weeks. Here was a source of trouble and unhappiness both to the children and to their parents. The bill contained a request that any person who might obtain tidings of the children, would at once communicate the information to the parents; and, what was very natural and touching, the children themselves were earnestly entreated to return home.
In what a state of anxiety must the poor parents have been! and, if they knew the One who is the Hearer of prayer, how must their heart have been poured out to Him on behalf of their wayward and wandering sons! What a sad return these children had given for all the love and care which had been bestowed upon them! Do you ever think, dear children, that your parents, especially if they have tasted the love of God, feel far more for you, when you go wrong or act naughtily, than you do yourselves? And, if you have not come to Jesus, but show continued evidence of your desire to keep at a distance from Him, O, how do parents who love His name grieve over your unbelief and hardness of heart! How they pray to God that your souls may be saved? How they endeavor that the Word of His salvation shall be presented to you in all the fullness of His love and the preciousness of the name of Jesus!
And can you be indifferent to all this love and care for your souls, and turn a deaf ear and a hard heart to their tender beseechings and earnest entreaties? O! while you are yet young, listen to the voice of God speaking to you through His Word, and by the kindly solicitations both of your parents and of all your real friends.
I wish you to observe that the two boys referred to, were of an age that even the younger of them must have known that it was wrong thus to wander away from home. They were not like little things, who may be lost unconsciously to themselves. No; they were both old enough to be aware that their act was one of self-will. And you, dear children, who are able to read this narrative, have the witness in your conscience when you design or commit some wicked act. You know, for instance, that it is sinful to act deceitfully, to tell an untruth, or to speak or behave disrespectfully to your parents. And have you not sometimes felt pride or anger, or envy, or some other evil passion rising in your heart? No doubt you have; and does not God take notice of all these things and thoughts? How, then, will you meet Him? How can you give an answer to Him who is holy? Well, indeed, you cannot give any satisfactory reply. But I will tell you what you should do. Believe His love to you, a sinful child, as shown in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, though He Himself knew no sin, yet was there made sin for us, and put it away by the sacrifice of Himself, in order that they who believe in Him might have forgiveness of sins through His blood, and appear before God in all the beauty and perfection of Him who shed it.
The troubled parents requested that whosoever could assist them in their search after their wandering sons would kindly do so. Who could resist such an appeal? Would not one have been delighted if he could have helped them in any way? And, dear young believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, would you not consider it to be one of the greatest joys which you could have to be a helper in any humble way in bringing a poor lost, sinful soul home to the bosom of the Saviour? Do you not know some children who appear to you to be wandering away, like lost sheep, from the only One that can save and bless them? Can you not, then, try, in some way, to bring them to Him? Do you, pray for them? Do you let them see that you love them? Do you ever whisper the sweet name of Jesus in their ears? Do you try to invite them to the Sunday-school, or to the preaching of the gospel? O, there are numberless ways of helping in the blessed work of seeking to save the lost; and may your young hearts be so fresh in the love of Christ that you may endeavor, through His grace, to draw some precious soul to Himself.
The parents offered a reward to anyone who would restore their lost children to them. And what a reward does the God of all grace pour into the bosom of those whom He uses in bringing poor sinners home to Himself! Does the true-hearted servant of Christ wish to be recompensed by man for telling the good news of the grace and love of God? No; he is so abundantly blessed already in Christ that it is his delight freely to tell of the grace of God to poor prodigal sinners. And well, indeed, is he rewarded when he has the witness in himself that he has sought the glory of Christ in his efforts to win souls to Him.
One more word to you, my dear young friends, who have not rested in the bosom of Jesus. See, how the parents earnestly entreated their children to come home. So would we, on behalf of God who loved the world, and sent His Son that sinners might be kept from going down to the pit, beseech you now, while your hearts are yet young and tender, to come home to Jesus, that you may find an eternal home of joy and blessedness in His bosom of love.
Come, come, come, O come home!
ML 09/29/1912