MY old friend, Mrs. Smith, for many years lived in a back room at Hoxton. It was a cheerless place, and bare, so far as furniture was concerned, and as she was over eighty years of age, and almost bed-ridden, she could do but little towards keeping it tidy. But though her home was in this condition, it was far otherwise with her heart. She was loyal to the Lord, and her confidence was in Him.
On visiting her, one day, she told me that some friend had called upon her, and with a mistaken view of consoling and comforting her, had given her the following words: “The devil goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he will devour.” Old Mrs. Smith said sharply, “Oh, my friend, that’s not in Scripture!”
He was rather staggered, knowing that she had an intimate knowledge of the Word of God.
“I will tell you what is in the Scripture, said she, “‘The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Pet. 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)), and he mayn’t devour me, if he will, for he’s chained, and can’t touch me. I’ve seen him come to the foot of this bed, and try to get at me, but I have told him that he could not get near enough to touch one of my ten toes, for I am in the Lord’s keeping.”
Such was this dear saint’s confidence in the personal presence and keeping power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is this confidence yours, my friend? His own words are, “They shall never perish, neither shall any one pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28).) P.