NOT long since I was asked to visit a young girl, about seventeen years of age, who had injured herself, and was thought to be dying. I had known her for some time, and was aware she was very delicate, but on calling learned she had fallen out of bed, and received an injury to the back of her head, which it was judged would eventually prove fatal. Being under the care of another surgeon, I had nothing to do with her treatment, so after making a few inquiries as to her bodily suffering, which was great (specially when moved by others, for she was almost completely paralyzed), I began to speak to her about the state of her soul.
"Are you quite happy?" I said.
"No, sir."
"Why? Are you not saved?”
"I am not sure.”
“But why are you not sure? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?”
"Yes, but I don't feel saved.”
"Do you feel lost?”
"Yes I do;" and she now began to weep.
"Why do you know you are lost?”
"Because I am a sinner, and God's Word says so.”
"Then you believe His Word, do you?”
"Oh, yes, sir, indeed I do.”
“Well, then, His Word says, Look unto Me, and be ye saved;' do you believe that?”
"Yes.”
"But are you looking to Jesus?”
"Yes, sir, but I don't feel as I should like to."'
“Granted; but does it say, Look unto Me and feel saved?”
"No.”
"What then?”
"Be ye saved.”
"What?”
"Be ye saved.”
"When is that, today or tomorrow”
"When I look.”
"But are you looking?”
"Yes, I am really looking to Jesus.”
"Then are you saved?" She paused a moment and then firmly replied,
"I don't feel it, but God says I am saved. I see it now." The next moment her eye lit up, and her pallid face told the tale of a new spring of joy having been opened to her.
"Well," I said, "if any one were to come in and ask you now if you were saved, what would you say?”
"I would say Yes.”
“And if they asked you how you knew it and were sure of it, what would you say?”
“I would say that I do believe in Jesus, and God says in His Word, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life; and though I don't feel it, I do believe what God says.”
“Then you rest your soul on Jesus and on God's Word?”
“Yes, sir, I do; and I could die happy now. I'd like to go at once to Jesus.”
"You have no fears?”
"No, none." "No doubts?”
"No; why should I? I see it all clearly. I'm only a poor sinner—and Jesus died for me—and I believe in Him—and God says I am saved—and so I know I am.”
I had a little more conversation, and called two days after to find her truly filled with joy and peace in believing. Her face shone with the joy the knowledge of God alone can impart. Leaving town for a few weeks, I found, on my return, that she had lingered about a month, giving a constant bright testimony of Christ to all about her, and, full of quiet, calm rest and joy in Christ until the end, had at length passed to be forever with Him.
And now, dear reader, a word with you about the state of your soul. Are you saved—or lost? Which? Don't shirk the question. It must be answered soon. The longest life has its end. Who has given you a lease of long life? A long eternity you shall have. Where will you spend it? Another day may find you in it. Gone forever from earth, where Christ died, "suffered for sins once, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." Gone where? With Christ? Or without Him? Would it be without Him? You tremble to say "Yes." Stop—listen! Your future is awful. Forgotten by man—forsaken by God for ever in hell. Oh! pause a moment in your downward course. List the voice of love speaking to you-speaking from heaven—"Come unto Me"—"Look unto Me"—" I am Jesus."—" By Me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved.”
You have naught to do but take your true place as a lost sinner now before God. Acknowledge your sin. Justify Him—He'll justify you. It is all summed up in the sweet confession of the dying girl. May you this day be able to say, like her, "I'm only a poor sinner—Jesus died for me—I believe in Him—God says I am saved and so I know I am.”
“Rise, my soul! behold 'tis Jesus,
Jesus fills my wondering eyes;
See Him now, in glory seated,
Where thy sins no more can rise!