Followed by his mother’s prayers, Jim, a young medical student, left home to work in the city, along with another young fellow his age.
Up to this time, though upright and moral, he had shown no concern about his soul and eternity. In fact he had made light of the remarks of an evangelist who sometimes preached of hell and warned people of judgment to come.
Many times his godly mother had pleaded with God for the conversion of her children, and that in no half-hearted way, but as one who had made up her mind that, come what may, they must be saved. She used to get them around her each morning, when still very young, in the quiet farm home where she lived, and pray with them and for them. And God heard and answered her prayers, for she had the joy of seeing them all brought to Christ early in life.
Relieved somewhat to be away from the restraints of home, Jim began life in the big city where there were plenty of snares and temptations. His companion was not a Christian, and this fact only intensified his mother’s prayers.
Sometimes she would rise at night, walk over to the window, look out in the direction where she believed her boy was, and plead with God for him. Some months passed, and then the answer came in the words of the following letter, so that her prayers were turned into praise: “My dearest mother, I am glad that you are all well. I am sure that you will be glad to hear that your prayers for me have been answered. You may change your prayers into a note of praise to Him who has washed me in His precious blood. I should have been delighted to go with you to the gospel meeting. There is a good deal doing for Jesus in this town, but there is room for much more ... "
His was indeed an out-and-out conversion. He made a clean break with the world and with its so-called pleasures right from the beginning. But he found in Christ his Saviour his joy and comfort, and he lived to serve Him faithfully each day.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17
ML-02/25/1979