SOME years since I heard a servant of God relate the following instance of God's grace.
My friend was asked to visit a gentleman who was ill, and not likely to recover—he had lived a "festive” life, and was now advancing in years. Mr. W. went. The men were not strangers to each other, but as one in early life had received Christ as his Savior, and found his highest joy in following and serving Him, and the other had chosen the world and “the pleasures of sin," they had seldom met. The sick man, worn out in the world's service, and wearied with his fruitless chase after happiness, saluted his old friend with a hopeless look, and answered his enquiries about his health in a cold, despairing sort of tone. He knew he was near his end, and shuddered at the prospect before him.
Mr. W. spoke of his lost condition as a sinner. This the sick man acknowledged without hesitation, but when he spoke of the mercy of God, and of the " Lamb of God," who atoned for sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and when he entreated the sick man to turn to God, he replied, " I cannot! God would not have me now. I have spent a long life in pleasing myself and the world—I cannot go to God now; it would be the height of meanness, and an insult to God, now I am worn out and can do nothing. No! it is my own fault, and I must reap what I have sown! "
Mr. W. again pressed the despairing man to cast himself upon the mercy of God through Christ.
“It’s no use, W., I tell you I cannot!" he answered in a hopeless tone, not unmingled with indignation. "Why, it would be like sucking out the orange and offering God the rind!”
“Give Him the rind," said Mr. W.; " He will accept it!”
I do not know what more was said, but the worn-out sinner was overcome. He cast himself upon the free, boundless grace of God, and found pardon, justification, and eternal life, through the precious blood of Christ.
He lived long enough to prove to those around him that he had been saved by divine grace, worn out and worthless as he was. How fully he could endorse that blessed truth, “Not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy He saved us!" (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5).)
Dear reader, do you know anything of the feeling of this sick man?
Are you in despair of finding anything in yourself worthy of God's acceptance—ashamed of the past, yet unable to do better? Oh, come to Christ, just as you are! He calls you “weary and heavy laden," and offers you rest! (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).) He Himself declares, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
The atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ has fully met all the claims of God, so "that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26).)
Do then take the gift held out to you, and thank God for His mercy. P.