The waves were quietly receding on a lovely golden stretch of sand at a coast town. Jack, a young boy, full of vivacity, and glorying in all the possibilities of play, busied himself at castle-building, digging and wheeling loads of sand from one part to another. In every direction he would run, very likely imagining himself an engine-driver on some important undertaking.
“I think I’ll sit down now on that big rock before I make another run with my engine.” So saying, he carried his thought into action. Here he viewed the stretch of sands, saw the great blue sea, and watched the little groups of people, particularly the children.
Suddenly he drew himself up as if about to obey the command of a general. His eyes traveled over all these sands where he had jumped, digged, and wheeled his barrow. Here was, a huge hole, there a small one; the footprints. were very evident with the winding trails of the wheelbarrow.
“Did I do all that? All these big holes, these winding trails, the footprints? What a pity! I’ve spoiled the lovely stretch of sand. If every boy and girl did that, would not the seashore be ugly. I do wish I had not done it; or if I had just stayed in that one big hole I made where I built the castle. What can I do? I’m not at all happy.”
Suddenly-he recollected part of the address he had heard only the day previously at the seaside service. The speaker had particularly emphasized the awfulness of sin, and of the necessity of being cleansed from it by the precious blood of Jesus. A link was immediately formed between that talk and his experience.
“These marks are just like my sins—the unkind words, the acts of rebellion, O, so many things I’ve said and done, and I cannot get rid of them.” Then, like a flash, as from Heaven itself, a voice seemed to say,
“Jack, do you see what you have done?” Too well he knew it, and could only answer a silent “Yes.” Again the voice, but how different was the message and its effects,
“Watch what happens. See what I will do.” A huge billow soon came rolling in, mightier than all the others, splashing and dancing as it drew nearer. The spray sparkled like diamonds in the sunshine, then the rush of water simply spread itself over all the area where Jack had been playing. With eyes filled with bewilderment and joy, Jack saw every hole refilled, everything leveled with such a wonderful evenness and smoothness. Could it be possible?
Immediately he thought of that beautiful text again which had been hung upon the walls of his mind just the day before,
When I trust the Lord Jesus my sins are all gone. They are just like all these marks and holes I have made on the sand, not a single one remains to be seen.” Again and again that wonderful verse revolved in his mind until it reached his very soul.
Is it any wonder that he jumped for very joy and ran home to tell mother that he had realized the truth of the words, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin?” All who are cleansed in that blood are happy and safe.
And what about you, my dear young reader? Looking over the past of your life, is it full of holes and ruts made by sins which have been committed every day? Well, God can cleanse you too in the precious blood. Christ died for you, too, and longs to hear you tell Him that you will accept Him as your own personal Saviour. Will you not receive Him?
ML 01/23/1938