“HOW am I to know that when Jesus died, He died for me?”
This question was asked by a little boy named Freddie.
“Supposing God had written a text in the Bible which said that Jesus died for Freddie, would you know then?” was the reply.
“O yes, Miss R., I should; 1 wish that He had done so,” Freddie answered, with a very bright look.
The bright look faded and tears filled his eyes as he answered, “But there are many other Freddies in the world; how would you know that God was speaking of you?”
“O, so there are many other Freddies, how can I know, then?”
The earnestness of the manner in which the question was asked, made his governess look up silently to the Lord for special wisdom before answering little Freddie’s question.
“Well, Freddie,” she said “God has called us all by one name and those who are really willing to take that name before Him, He has said that Jesus died for those people.”
“What is that name, Miss R.?”
“Sinners Freddie,” was the reply. “You are only a child, yet you have done many things that God calls sins, and therefore you are a sinner, and need to be washed from those sins by the blood of Jesus before He can have you in heaven with Him. The great apostle Paul called himself the chief of sinners, yet he could say that Jesus loved him and gave Himself for him. Shall I tell you a little verse about this? He said, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20.
“Who was it Paul said loved him and gave Himself for him? It was Jesus, the Son of God, He was God, as well as man, and was holy so had no sins to die for of His own. I could not die for you, Freddie. Because I am a sinner too, and deserved to be punished for my own sins. But if we go to God and ask Him to save us for Jesus’ sake, He will tell you that Jesus has died instead of you.”
“Yes, I will,” said Freddie, “and I am going to say that text to God tonight that ‘Jesus loved me, and gave Himself for me!’ I wish you would print that text for me, Miss R.; will you please?”
So while little Freddie was peacefully sleeping, the text was roughly printed on a piece of cardboard and hung beside, his bed.
“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”
From that day Freddie constantly spoke of the verse as “his text.”
Perhaps some little reader of this incident may have often thought, “Yes, I know that Jesus died, but I am not cure that He died for me.” Will you not put your finger by faith on “Freddie’s text” and say, “I know I am a sinful child, but Jesus, the Son of God, loved sinners, and gave Himself for them, and therefore for me.”
He knew how wicked man had been,
He knew that God must punish sin,
So out of pity Jesus said,
“I’ll bear the punishment instead.”
ML-08/08/1920