Mrs. Abbott, a widow, had been going through great trial. A house, the rental from which was her only income, had fallen into the hands of a wicked tenant. Whenever she went for the rent, he simply mocked at her, jeered and laughed; and no effort she made obtained the rent due nor succeeded in turning him out. As a last resort she put her case in the hands of a lawyer, and in due time she received a summons to appear in court.
The poor woman was in deep poverty and distressed in her soul for fear of a righteous God. But would He undertake for her, a lone, sinful woman? Her case would be called in a few weeks; and what if the judge ruled against her? Then indeed she would be ruined, forsaken by God and man.
While thus troubled in mind, she saw a newspaper headline: "Three Days with God." It was the notice of meetings being held in an East End Assembly Hall. "I will go and spend these days with God and put my case into His hands," she said to herself.
She put on her hat to start forth, and had her hand on the door, when—a knock! A neighbor, a young policeman, was standing there asking, "Mrs. Abbott? My wife is very ill, maybe dying. But I must be on my beat. Can you help us?”
It was a struggle for a moment; but then she said, "I will go to her.”
The young man took her to his house and into the room where his wife lay, indeed very ill. She had been previously cared for by an irresponsible person who had allowed an infection to develop, and now the poor sick girl seemed to be near death.
"No 'three days with God' for me," Mrs. Abbott thought as she went quietly and efficiently about the task of nursing. All that day and until the following morning she watched over her patient until, another neighbor coming in to relieve her, she went home to rest.
As she entered her house she remembered the newspaper notice, and the thought came: "Now is my opportunity." Forthwith she started for the Assembly Hall and reached it in time for the afternoon meeting.
The evangelist spoke on Love, the very nature of God, which is imparted to every true believer in Christ and is "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. 5:55And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5). This same Holy Spirit prodded her wicked heart, convicting her of her sinful state. Did she not hate the man who had wronged her? She had wished him only evil, when the lowly Man of Galilee had said "Love your enemies"! (Matt. 5:44, 4544But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44‑45).)
When at the end of the address the preacher had said, "If any one here has not in his heart the love of God, and feels his need, let him come before Him now while we wait on Him in silence," she had knelt down with shame in her heart. She humbly confessed her hatred and anger towards her tenant, and her unbelief towards God and the gift of His love, the Lord Jesus. And He who knows "the thoughts and intents of the heart" heard her cry and brought peace and love into her soul. Simply as a little child she received the blessed Savior of sinners as her own Surety of salvation, and His peace filled her heart. Now she felt that nothing else mattered, not even what became of the house, for the Scripture said: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.”
As she rose from her knees the hymn was given out, "Moment by Moment." How it thrilled her! The second verse she appropriated to herself as her own personal assurance from her new-found Father: "Never a battle with wrong for the right, Never a contest that He does not fight; Lifting above us His banner so white, Moment by moment I'm kept in His sight.”
Mrs. Abbott again entered the sick room before midnight. The patient was in great pain, but looked up as her kind neighbor entered. "How rested you look!" she exclaimed. "You must have had a good sleep.”
"Oh, no, my dear; I have had no sleep. I have been to a meeting and have found the Lord. In Him I have such blessing that all my care is gone. And I have brought you such a wonderful hymn! I'll read it to you presently.”
She went quietly about the business of making the poor girl as comfortable as possible before she sat down to tell her about the meeting where she had met God. Now, her own heart filled with unspeakable joy and peace, she told the listening girl how He had shown her her sin and need of a Savior; how she had accepted the Lord Jesus, and how He had cleansed her heart and filled it with love for Himself and poor lost souls. And then she read the hymn:
"Dying with Jesus, His death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.”
Then, reverently, she read "her own" second verse, following it with the rest of the hymn: "Never a trial that He is not there:
Never a burden that He doth not bear;
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment I'm under His care.
"Never a weakness that He does not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.
"Never a heartache and never a groan:
Never a teardrop and never a moan,
Never a danger, but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.
"Moment by moment I'm kept in His love:
Moment by moment I've life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.”
Tears were streaming down the sick woman's face. With trembling lips she whispered, "'Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.' Oh, I am so miserable! I know I can't live long, and I am not ready to die. What shall I do?”
"Do, dearie? There's nothing for you to do but look to the Lamb of God who has done all for you. 'Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.' It was a sight of Him dying for me that took the load of sin off my soul. Now 'Jesus, my. Savior, abides with me still.'”
Helpless, weak and suffering, the dear girl committed herself into the care and keeping of the tender Shepherd of souls.
When the day came for Mrs. Abbott to appear in court against her tenant, she went in confidence that the Lord was with her. Scarcely a question was asked her before the judge rendered his decision: her house was returned to her and the arrears in rent was ordered paid immediately. With thankful heart she returned home, praising Him of whom she could say: "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Psa. 40:2, 32He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2‑3).