AS a servant of the Lord was preaching on the coming of the Lord in a seaside town, four little boys, belonging to a boarding school there, happened to be among the audience. The preacher showed from Scripture that when the Lord comes he will first of all take every believer to Himself. All of these who have gone to be with the Lord since the beginning of the world,—from Abel, or Adam, down to the moment that Jesus arises from His Father’s throne, will be raised in glorified bodies, and all who are living on the earth at that time, will be changed and caught away “tether with them to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16, 17; Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52). Then “when they that are ready” through faith in Christ have thus gone “in with Him to the marriage the door is shut” (Matt. 25:10).
It will be of no use then to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open unto us;” for it will be too late (verse 11, 12); for, of course, all who are not ready, all who are not believers, are shut out and left bind, so that they come into all those terrible judgments foretold all through the books of prophecy, to be poured out on this earth.
Well, these four little boys went home to their boarding school thinking and talking solemnly of what they had heard, and what do you think they did? Why, as they were very much concerned about it, and knew that their kind governess was a real disciple of the Lord Jesus, in whose teaching and prayers they had full confidence, they put their young heads tether and wrote the following little letter, a touching appeal when you consider that it told how anxious they were to be saved:
“Miss—. We find from Mr. R—’s sermon that you and all the believers may all be taken away to heaven, and we left behind. We should like you to pray with us about it.”
Having, all signed their names to this, they quietly laid it on her Bible and left it there.
I have no doubt at all that the cry of their young hearts has been heard, and the prayers of their Christian guide and teacher on their behalf answered by Him who proved His love for the little ones when He was here on the earth (Mark 10:13-16), and who is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
My purpose in telling you of it is to show you that even little boys can understand this solemn truth connected with the coming of the Lord, namely, that only those who know Him as their own Saviour will be caught away to meet Him in the air above the clouds.
Now, as this may take place at any moment suddenly, I hope that if you are not yet “ready” by believing in Jesus, you will not rest until you are so, but be in earnest to receive salvation at once by the blood of Christ like the four little boys.
“Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20.
“They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage; and the door was shut.” Matt. 25:10.
ML-08/11/1935