Three happy children had to cross by a ferry-boat, for which they had a penny each to pay, and mother had gin this sum to Susie, who was told to guard it carefully. But running along the fields, or climbing the fences, Susie had let the money slip somehow, and when they came to the ferry she had nothing to pay. What was to be done? They knew not.
The young ferryman, to whom they were perfect strangers, would not take them across until the “pennies” were paid, and, of course, promises to “pay tomorrow” were of no avail. Just when they were making up their minds to return home, downcast and sad, a gentleman came along the road. He saw there was something wrong, and asked what was the matter. Susie told her sorrowful tale and then burst into tears. The gentleman took in the situation in a moment, and patting her cheek, smiled and said,
“It’s all right, Susie, I will pay the ferry for you,” taking out three pence and laying them in her hand. Susie wiped her tears away, as she said, “Thank you,” and in a moment the children were down at the ferry signalling and shouting to the rigid ferryman to come and take them across. “Where did you get the money?” he asked, as he drew the boat to the steps, and before Susie had time to answer, Harry shouted out,
“The man paid for us.”
This simple story of school-days reminds me of greater and more important things. I know someone else who will want, one day, to cross a deeper river (death), and who has “nothing to pay.” Who do you think that is? Just you, my reader. You will want to cross over to the fair shore of heaven, I know, to dwell with the Lord Jesus. But you have nothing to take you there, you have nothing to pay, nothing to give or offer, that could gain you a passage across death’s river into the land of Life.
But there is ONE who has paid. His name is Jesus, the Saviour. He saw your helpless condition, and in order to make it possible for you to go to heaven, He paid in full all the demands of justice.
Will you accept His payment through His blood shed on Calvary’s cross?
ML 01/20/1946