“IT is all for me! I hadn’t a thought that I could ever possess anything half so good.”
So said a person who had been for many months anxious about her soul, at the close of an address to believers.
She had known what it was to have some rays of hope, but her doubts and fears continually returning, she had become more miserable than before. Oh, she thought, if she could only know that her sins were forgiven! if she could only feel happy! if she were only sure of just getting inside the door of heaven, what a relief it would be!
So she thought, but God’s purposes of grace are above all human conception. He gives as only God can give. Many a person sings, “I’d like to be an angel,” as if that were the brightest and best thing; but God says, of those who believe in His Son, they shall be like Christ.
A few hours before the words which head this paper were uttered, our anxious friend had called upon a happy believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, to tell her of her great unhappiness, and of her fear lest she should be eternally lost.
“When I saw you two days ago, Mrs.―,” said her friend, “you said you were happy.”
“Yes, and I felt so,”
“Who has changed since then, you or God?”
“Of course, it must be I, for God could not change.”
“And do you think God’s word is like Himself?”
“I do.”
“Then do you think God means what He says as to your having eternal life, ―that is if you believe on His Son?”
“I’m sure He means to give it, but I don’t feel I’ve got it.”
“My dear friend, you are trusting to your feelings, and they make you miserable. You are too bad to be improved, so do not look within, but look above, and think of Him who once suffered, the Just for us the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Death can have no more dominion over Him, and Christ who sits at the right hand of God, is a living Saviour for you. But I want you to come to an address to believers.”
“No;” she added sadly, “I’m not a believer, therefore I can’t go.”
“Are you an unbeliever?” asked her friend.
“No; I cannot say that I am, for I do most truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Then don’t let Satan, self, or anyone else, cheat you any longer from having peace. Go sit down and receive; that which is for the believer is for you.”
At the close of the address, Mrs. — ‘s radiant face almost spoke without the words that followed, “It is all for me. I hadn’t a thought that I could possess anything half so good.”
“And are you happy?”
“Perfectly happy; I rest upon God’s unchanging word, and now I know that what is written there for the believer is all for me!”
Nine months have passed away since the above words were spoken, but our friend’s peace is undimmed. Christ is her peace.
She now joyfully says, “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38,3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39).) Perhaps an anxious reader may wish to know some of those things of which Mrs. —heard, so I write down a few of the blessings that belong to every believer.
That he has been made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. vs. 21.)
The above are some only of the blessings that belong to, and are true of, the believer, of whom it is said, “For all things are yours.... And ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Cor. 3:21, 2321Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; (1 Corinthians 3:21)
23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:23).)
E. E. S.