One Word

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
Corinne loved gay company and the pleasures of this world. After spending an evening at a card party with an unusually hilarious group, she returned home to find her maid absorbed in reading. Corinne stealthily looked over the maid's shoulder, and seeing that the book was a Bible, exclaimed: "Poor, melancholy soul! What pleasure can you find in poring so long over that book?”
Not waiting for an answer, she was soon in bed. But that night she did not rest. What was it that disturbed her so, and drove sleep from her eyes? Was it the "good time" which she had just enjoyed, or the excitement of the evening's game, or was it the weariness that followed naturally in its train? No; it was none of these. It was merely a word.
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Prov. 25:1111A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Proverbs 25:11).
One word had pierced that pleasure-loving lady's heart! Its first effect was to give deep anguish of spirit. Corinne found no rest. All night she lay under the hand of God, sighing and weeping with the sting of one word. Again and again her maid begged to know why she was so deeply distressed.
At length the poor girl could control herself no longer. Bursting into a flood of tears, she exclaimed: "Oh, that one word which I saw in your book! It troubles me! There I saw the word 'Eternity.' Oh, how happy I would be if I were ready for Eternity" (Isa. 57:1515For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)).
ETERNITY. Think of it, friend. God has for so long spared you in His mercy, from fast approaching judgment. Would not you be happy, with a happiness you have never tasted, were you prepared for eternity? Face to face with that one word, with all its tremendous significance, what could the frivolous amusements of this wretched world do for the guilty soul of this poor girl? As seen in the light of eternal loss, she could only loathe them from the bottom of her heart.
With gentle earnestness, the Christian maid pointed her mistress to the one way of escape from a lost eternity. God had mercy upon her soul, as He ever has upon all who truly turn to Him. Soon her heart rested by faith upon the precious blood of Christ, God's only way to cleanse a poor sinner from his sins and give a troubled conscience peace.
Dear one, may it be thus with you. "Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids," until by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you too can say that, through grace, Eternity, with all its solemn issues of eternal damnation, eternal judgment and eternal fire, cannot disturb your rest, because for you Eternity means eternal blessedness, eternal redemption, eternal salvation, and eternal glory.