Elsie Craig was an invalid who lived in a wee cottage on a lonely moor in Scotland. Many persons visited Elsie to comfort her in her affliction. She could not answer the door herself; so when any one tapped it was her custom to ask, "What’s there?" If the visitor was one she wished to see, Elsie would say: "Open the door yersel', and come in." Very few were allowed to stand long at Elsie's door, and fewer still to go away without admittance.
There was, however, one person who frequently knocked, but who was never once asked to open the door and come in. That person was the minister. Not that Elsie had any special dislike for the good man! She spoke a great deal about religion, and even said many fine things about Mr. Stevens; but she shunned meeting him. She never bade him come in, and he was too much of a gentleman to enter poor Elsie's cottage without her leave. Again and again he came and knocked, but with no success. He only heard the "What’s there?" Then a deep silence would prevail which told him as plainly as words could that he was not wanted inside. So he would turn and leave.
Mr. Stevens had thought of giving up visiting Elsie; but his desire to know that she was saved constrained him to continue.
One Saturday night, returning across the moor, he felt impelled to turn aside from the path and call upon Elsie once more. The clock had struck ten before he reached her door, but he had scarcely tapped when the accustomed "What’s there?" fell upon his ear.
"Yer ain minister, Elsie," was the affectionate reply.
There was silence. Mr. Stevens was preparing to depart when the following words reached him: "Weel, sir, I'll keep ye out nae mair; just open the door yersel', and come in.”
Mr. Stevens gladly opened the door and entered. He took his seat close by the frail invalid and spoke kindly to her. He told her of the loving and patient Jesus, who "bore our sins in His own body on the tree," and who by the "sacrifice of Himself put away sin." He told her, too, that this same Jesus had stood at the door of her heart, and thus was still waiting for her to receive Him. The Lord of glory would come in even now, if she would ask Him.
As Mr. Stevens thus spoke of Jesus and His quenchless love, the tears flowed over the invalid's wan cheeks, and Elsie said in her heart, "I will let Him in." Mr. Stevens prayed and departed, and Elsie was left alone.
During the long, sleepless night which followed, poor Elsie thought of the loving Jesus standing patiently at the door of her sinful heart. While she mused, her heart was stirred and she wept again. Yes, she wept and prayed. Nor did she pray in vain: for One came to her in the dark, lone night, and spoke peace to her soul. When the sun rose in the morning and peeped in at the little window, Elsie woke with the knowledge of sins forgiven. She had received Jesus as her Savior. He had washed away all her sins and taken up His abode in her heart.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." Rev. 3:2020Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20). Yes, reader, Jesus knocks, and says, "If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
"Admit Him, for the human breast
Ne'er entertained so kind a guest;
No mortal tongue their joys can tell
With whom He condescends to dwell.”