It is related of a boy who had often heard from his parents and others, of the coming, in the air of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own, without the knowledge of those about them; and he had been much disturbed by the thought that he himself might be one of those left behind; that one sultry night in summer, he was suddenly awakened by a loud clap of thunder, followed in quick succession by several vivid flashes of lightning and more violent peals of thunder.
After these several flashes and thunder claps, there was the peculiar dead silence, which sometimes follows just such outbursts immediately before a heavy fall of rain occurs.
The thought flashed across his mind dun perhaps the Lord had come, and that he had been left. In haste he sprang from his bed and ran to his mother’s room, for he knew that she at least would be one of those to go, for she was one who knew the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and who faithfully served Him as her Lord, day by day, and if she were still there, all would be well. It so happened however, that the mother had been awakened by the thunder also, and remembering some open windows in another part of the house, had called her daughter, whose room was next hers, and had gone to close them; so when the boy running to his mother’s room, had found it empty, and upon calling to his sister, received no response, and found her room empty also; he was greatly terrified by the thought that his mother and sister had been taken, and he had been left. A few minutes later however, he heard them talking,—very much to his relief, and he slipped back to his room quietly and witut their knowledge; but from that time on, he was a changed boy, and by coming humbly and simply to the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, he made sure that by faith in Hirn and His finished work, he would be one of those taken, if the Lord should come; and not, one of those left behind!
But this fact remains; that at some moment or other, perhaps in a very short time, the Lord will come in the air, with the assembling shout, and there will be a separation such as was feared by the young boy. Fathers and mothers will be taken away from their children, or chiren from their parents. Brothers and sisters will be separated, and husbands and wives parted. Prisoners will be missing from their cells; soldiers and sailors will fail to reply to the roll call; men and women of all walks of life, all professions and callings, will no longer be found, and dismay and terror will be the portion of many who will have heard the invitation time and again, and always rejected or neglected it, until suddenly awakened to the knowledge of the terrifying realization, that it is too late! How horrible a thought,
“The Lord has come and gone, and I am left behind!”
Dear reader, there is no need in your case, that such a terrible experience be yours! The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and gave Himself as an offering for sin, leaving nothing for you to do except to appropriate for yourself in sile faith, that which He accomplished for you, on the cross.
If our condition in God’s sight was so hopeless as to necessitate the sending of His Son to suffer as He did, and to die for us, can we dare to neglect and reject that which He has accomplished for us? If you refuse this marvelous offer of grace, you will have none to blame but yourself,—and blame yourself you surely will, for all eternity.
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” Heb, 2:3.
Delay no longer,—accept Him now as your Saviour, and place yourself under the protection of His finished work, where you will find peace and assurance, in the place of fear and uncertainty.
“They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage, and the door was shut.” Matt 25:10.
ML 10/19/1941