Corporal James Douglas was sick, very sick, as he lay in his narrow hospital bed. It was the first time in his life that he had known a day's illness, and to him it was terrible. His condition was not helped by his knowledge that he had brought it upon himself by his dissolute life and arrogant, unruly ways. No; he was sick, and he didn't care who knew it.
As he lay day by day in the hospital—for he had many relapses—he thought much about his parents and of the happy home he had willfully left when he enlisted. Then came the remembrance of his life since he had left them. He hoped they would never hear of some of his outrageous doings during that time.
"This won't do," he muttered to himself one night. "I will not think. Oh, for a good old drink and some jolly fellows to cheer me! With them I could soon drown these thoughts.”
In the next bed lay John Small, a young man from another regiment. He was suffering greatly: but Jimmie resented his patience, and repelled his attempts at conversation.
One night, however, all was very still in the little ward. Jimmie had tried in vain to sleep, and thoughts of his past life were making him very miserable. He raised himself to see if his neighbor was awake, feeling it would be a comfort to break the silence, if only to grumble in a whisper to his fellow-sufferer. He saw that Small's eyes were closed, but that his lips were moving. By close listening Jimmie heard him repeat over and over the words:
"Out in the desert He heard its cry,
Sick, and helpless, and ready to die.”
More and more slowly Small repeated them, then Jimmie knew he had dropped asleep. It would be cruel to awaken him; so Jimmie went over the words himself, wondering where they came from and what was their meaning. When the night nurse passed noiselessly up the ward, Jimmie beckoned to her. Laying a finger on her lips, she pointed to Small and whispered: "Hush, he's asleep. He's suffered terribly today.”
As she smoothed Jimmie's pillow, he said: "Do you know these words, Nurse, " 'Out in the desert He heard its cry, Sick, and helpless, and ready to die'?”
"It seems to me that I've heard them sung, and that they are in a hymn," she whispered, "but I don't know where. Perhaps Small could tell you; he's a religious fellow, and he has the right kind, too. I wish I were as happy as he is. Now, try to go to sleep.”
But sleep would not come; and that night, and for a couple of days, try as he would, Jimmie could not forget those two lines. Nor could he get rid of thoughts of his own sinfulness.
One night he could bear it no longer. Seeing his neighbor was awake he whispered, "Small, who was out in the desert?”
"I was," answered the sick man in a low tone.
Jimmie paused. The answer had surprised him, but presently he said, "Who heard its cry?”
"The Lord Jesus," was the quiet reply.
That was all. The conversation ended, but those brief words gave Jimmie plenty to think about.
A few days later Small was much better, and Jimmie suddenly told him of his trouble. He ended by saying, "I am downright miserable. Tell me what's wrong. Your description, 'Sick and helpless, and ready to die,' fits me to a 'T.'”
"Praise God," answered the other invalid. "It's all right! Why, God the Holy Spirit is showing you that you are a poor lost sheep! Now He wants to point you to the Good Shepherd, who `goeth after that which is lost until He finds it.' I see that nurse is signing me to stop talking, but I will tell you more tomorrow. Say over and over again to yourself: 'The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.'
"Here is my Testament. Find that verse for yourself; it's in the nineteenth chapter of Luke's Gospel.”
Jimmie took the well-worn little volume and, propped up with pillows, he read Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). In fact, he read the whole chapter.
Half an hour later Small said to him: "Look at the fifteenth chapter.”
Jimmie was unaccustomed to handling a Bible, and his fingers fumbled with the thin pages. Turning back to Luke 15, he read the parable of the lost sheep. Then came that beautiful story of the prodigal son and the father's love. Seeing himself in the picture, Jimmie broke down completely. The next morning Small had the joy of hearing from his friend's own lips that he who had been a "sheep going astray" had now been found by the Shepherd and was safe in the fold.
Reader, will you not search your own heart in the light of God's Word? If still out of Christ, now is the time to seek Him who so diligently is seeking you.