Mrs. Russell felt perplexed and troubled. She was a good mother and her family of boys and girls all loved her. However, it worried her very much to see a marked change in little Ann. School went on as usual, and Ann joined in all the games, but all the sunshine was gone from her face, and the growing unhappiness in the little girl made her mother’s heart ache.
Mrs. Russell waited, feeling sure that sooner or later Ann would come and tell her troubles. But as the weeks went by, she missed her glad laughter which always made music in the home, and noticed Ann’s face grew whiter, and her eyes bore a look of sadness.
One evening she put her arms around Ann and asked her what was wrong. For a moment Ann hesitated. “Nothing,” she replied, her lips trembling. Then she suddenly broke down and sobbed out her trouble.
“Oh, Mother, I am so miserable! I don’t suppose there ever was a wickeder girl than I am. I have asked God to forgive me but He hasn’t. I know He hasn’t.”
Lovingly, Mrs. Russell talked with Ann, and asked her if there were any special sins on her conscience. But no, it was a load of guilt which had been growing and growing all those thirteen years of her life. God’s Holy spirit had awakened her to a sense of sin.
Mrs. Russell reminded her little girl that Christ Jesus came into the-world to save sinners, and that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” She also quoted that wonderful verse: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“Yes, I know,” sobbed Ann, “but I can’t feel my sins are forgiven, and I just go on sinning every day.”
Poor little Ann! She could not realize the loving Saviour had died to pay the debt of her sins, and was even then really offering her full pardon and cleansing, and His peace. And so the days and weeks went on.
When Mrs. Russell would say goodnight to her children in bed she never failed to speak a few words about the Lord Jesus she so truly loved herself. Every night she left a few comforting verses with Ann, and earnestly prayed that God would lead her little one to Himself.
One morning Ann came to her mother looking almost transfigured. All the misery and sorrow were gone from her eyes, and instead of grief joy and peace shone there.
“Well?” exclaimed Mrs. Russell, as Ann threw herself into her mother’s arms.
“Mother, dear, I’m so happy! The burden is gone. Jesus has taken it right away. I know at last my sins are forgiven, and oh, it is such a relief!”
“Thank God, my little girl,” said her mother. “And what has made all the difference?”
“Why, this verse,” and picking up her mother’s Bible and happily turning the pages she found Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18). “I was so miserable, Mother, last night that I could not sleep, and when daylight came I got my Bible and began to read. Suddenly this verse stood out: ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ I did come, Mother, and the burden is gone—from scarlet to white. Mother, isn’t it wonderful?”
So together they knelt down and thanked God for His infinite love in sending this message of forgiveness and cleansing to His weary little child.
Ann has had many temptations, but she is freed forever from the burden of her sins. She knows that the cleansing of the precious blood of Christ is forever, and her Saviour becomes more precious to her as the years go by.
ML 12/19/1965