Is it possible that the great God above can care for one soul amongst all the millions of the earth? It is; for the One who came to tell us all we know of the heart of God said, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God Over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10). God desires that all should be saved; but He and all His angels rejoice over one. Have they rejoiced over you yet? The lifeboat men will save the whole of the shipwrecked crew if they can; if not, they rejoice to be able to bring even one safe to land. An instance of this is to be found in the records of the Deal lifeboat.
Looking out through his glass late one spring evening Richard Roberts, the coxswain of the boat, descried a new wreck upon the Goodwin Sands, and close to it a solitary man. He was running wildly about, afraid of standing still lest the treacherous sands should suck him in. Only one man! Was it worth while launching the lifeboat for his sake?
The lifeboat men had no question at all about that, for as soon as the tide would permit there was a rush for life belts, and over the wild waves the boat sped to the rescue. But to save that one man was no light matter. Night came over the scene, inky black, and their eyes could see nothing. The waves rolled over the boat, and though they shouted and strained their ears for an answer, no voice could be heard above the noise of the sea. They cast anchor and waited through the long night for the dawn.
With the first gray light they caught sight of the object of their search. He was not more than four hundred yards away, staggering towards the boat that had come to save him. It was but the work of a few moments to get him off those deadly sands into the safety of the boat. Unable to save himself, help came to him from without.
So "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Has He saved you?
The saved man was captain of a Norwegian brig which had run on to the sands the morning before, and he had seen the six men that formed his crew drown before his eyes. He had lashed himself to the windlass, and thus escaped the fate of the rest.
When the tide fell and the wreck stood out of the water, he had unlashed himself and had for hours run up and down the sands.
When the tide rose and night came on again, he had returned to the wreck.
He received a royal welcome when he was brought into the town of Deal; and, depend upon it, not one of the lifeboat men grudged the labor and the hardships they had undergone to save only one man.
Oh, the value of one soul, who can estimate? The whole world is naught in comparison to it. For one soul, as well as for millions, Jesus died. For one soul He seeks today, and that one soul is yours. Welcome Him, welcome Him now. Take this precious message from God Himself to you, and make it your very own. "For God so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son, that if you will believe in Him you shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Then, over your one soul there will be joy in the presence of the angels of God, and with joy you can exclaim, "The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me!" Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).