Many years ago a godly young mother was dying. Knowing that she was nearing the end, she committed her new-born babe to the Lord, in faith that her child would be converted. This was her confidence as she departed to be "absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
For seventy years there was no sign of answered prayer. The child grew to manhood—careless, ungodly, blasphemous;—a captain of a man-of-war. This vocation ended only when he had both his heels blown off by a shell-splinter.
Now aged and lame the old man was brought to hear the gospel. He was carried into the crowded room and heard for the first time the story of Mephibosheth.
The preacher was led by the Spirit to describe the sinner's utterly lost, helpless condition. Then he spoke of the love of God to all the world and of His great kindness in giving His Son Jesus to die for our sins. Then he told how Christ would now fetch the poor, contrite sinner, just as he is, in to own presence even as David sent and fetched Mephibosheth, who was lame on both his feet.
Suddenly the preacher paused. When all was perfectly still he cried out: "Now, you poor, lame old sinner, you who have been fetched into the presence of God tonight, where are you?”
The startled old captain felt that God was speaking to him—that He knew all about him! Trying to get up, he cried out, "Here I am!”
God saved his soul that night, and thus in His own way and time answered a mother's prayers.
It was a happy sight to see the old captain, now a believer, rejoicing in Christ Jesus. Helpless he still was as he sat at the King's table, "accepted in the Beloved," the King's Son. "And he was lame on both his feet.”
"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Rorn. 5:20.