A SHORT time ago a Christian gentleman, accompanied by a friend, was driving home from a mission meeting, one of a series that had been held at a village some miles distant. The evening was well advanced, and, after they had driven some little distance, they overtook a youth, walking slowly, and with an air of utter weariness and dejection. The gentleman pulled up, and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I am on my way home, sir.”
“Have you far to go?” “No, sir, just to B―.” “Well, it is not worth while giving you a lift for that short distance,” said the gentleman, to which the young man replied, “Oh, no, thank you, sir, I’ll easily walk,” and so the gentleman drove on.
But he was impelled, surely by the Holy Spirit, to stop after he had gone on some little distance, and looking round he found the lad running close behind. Waiting until he came alongside, and feeling sure he was dejected and sorrowful because he was not sure of heaven being his home, the gentleman said, “Are you really and truly on your way home?”
“No, sir, I am not,” was the honest confession; and then, as he was asked to get into the trap, he added in a tone of anguish, “I must get saved; my sister was saved last night, my brother the night before, and I am left out!” “Well,” said the gentleman, “if you are willing to be saved, Christ is far more willing to save you, you have but to go to Him just as you are.” Without another word the lad fell on his knees and cried, “Lord Jesus, take me as I am; I am unworthy, but Jesus died―Jesus died.”
The plea was sufficient, the prayer was heard and answered. After a few minutes’ silence he said to the two Christians, “I am saved; won’t you praise the Lord with me?” And they did praise the Lord; for making a halt, they knelt by the wayside, and beneath the starlit sky their praises re-echoed in the courts above. After they had exchanged farewells, the lad cried, “I am on my way home now, I’ll go praising Him.”
Reader, there are two ways―one to the home above, the other where there is weeping and wailing. On which are you going? Jesus died for you. God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).) K. R.