I WILL tell you what I heard from the lips of an old woman. She had been a sinner for many years, and thought little about it. She was fretful, anxious, and un-reconciled to God. She was careless about Him and His grace, who has no pleasure in the death of a sinner. He called, and she refused. Her heart was burdened with the cares of life; and, although death and judgment lay before her, she was carried away, and occupied with every-day concerns.
But a change was to come. Old age and infirmity stole upon her, but her heart was still hard, and she was unprepared to die. On one occasion she prayed that God would give her a sight of her sins, and shortly after, as she lay upon her bed, the sight asked for was vouchsafed. Her sins came before her in battle array most vividly and distinctly. She felt as never before, that it was God who was doing it; and she was filled with alarm. However, it broke her heart, and she experienced a change; but it was not peace, it was not her soul yet resting in Jesus, but her conscience fully alive, and the sense that God was in it, that she was not the same as she was before. God Himself had met and shown her something of her sinfulness. Her former state of apathy gave place to one of great seriousness and enquiry; but still she could not say that her sins were forgiven. About that time a Christian laborer called; she was very infirm and unwell, but his message gave her much comfort. She learned that there was such a thing as the forgiveness of sins, and that, through believing in Jesus, her sins would not be imputed. Having already learnt the lesson that she had sinned, and that in secret between God and herself, she now learnt from God's word that pardon was freely given because Jesus had died and 'borne and put away sin on the tree. She believed this; and whereas she was once selfish and hardened, she can now trust Christ and wait till He calls her home. I am sure it is so in every case where sin is discovered, and the cleansing blood seen by faith.
I trust my reader can place confidence in Jesus too. I note this incident in the hope that it may serve some anxious souls who are struggling and seeking their way to the light. If it does so, I shall be grateful to our God. Sin is put away forever, and He can justly and righteously receive all, even the worst, who come to Him. Of this there can be no doubt. Christ's life is given as a ransom for many. Sin discovered in the presence of God; their sins forgiven through the grace of God because of the sacrifice of Christ makes the person happy and the conscience perfect. We can never trust Christ too much. What people need is real faith in a living Savior.