A PASTOR often visited an old saint eighty-seven years of age, who for fifteen years was bedridden and blind. She was usually very bright and cheerful, but on one occasion she told him that since his last visit she had been in terrible darkness. When he inquired how it came, she replied that she had been informed of the sudden death of a youthful and useful Christian lady, who was a near neighbor. She began to wonder why God spared her so long, when she was of no service to any one, and then the thought darted into her mind that He had so many people to look after, He had forgotten her, and, “Oh, the horror that rolled over my soul at this!” she exclaimed. “But you are out of the darkness now: how did you get out?” he asked. “There is but one way,” she answered, “and that is, by going to the Word. I remembered that the Lord Jesus declares
all the hairs of our heads are numbered,
and although I once had children of my own, whom I loved, I suppose, as much as most mothers love their children, and although I washed their faces for them, and brushed their hair many a time, I never thought enough of one of my children to count every hair on its head. Since my Father thinks enough of me to count every hair on my old grey head, I told the devil to go away and let me alone, and since then he has left me in peace.”
FIRST of all, we must believe God respecting the blood of His Son. God has told us that peace with Him is made by the blood. He tells us that when we believe we are justified from all things. “But I believe this,” says one, “yet I have not the peace some possess.” No. Until we are at rest before God about our sins it is impossible to be at perfect peace.