Young Jim Bradshaw seemed to have reached the lowest depths of sin and degradation. His history was indeed a sad one—sad for him and for his family. DRINK had brought him to poverty and shame— his wife to an asylum—his children to the poor house.
How true are the words of Scripture: "The wages of sin is DEATH," and "after death the judgment"! Are you serving Satan, my reader? If you are unsaved, THE WAGES YOU ARE EARNING CAN ONLY BE DEATH.
One night Jim was returning to his home. The hour was unusually late and Jim was very drunk. On his way he had to cross a railroad. In crossing the tracks his foot caught on a rail and he stumbled and fell. There he lay on the road-bed, unconscious of his danger; and for some hours he slept.
Unsaved reader, you too are sleeping, and your bed is on the brink of eternal doom. May God in mercy awaken you to a sense of danger, before it is TOO LATE!
Suddenly Jim was aroused. Someone had seized him by his shoulders and was quickly dragging him to one side. Thinking that it was a police officer, Jim bade him "go easy," and promised to go with him quietly. Then a voice cried out to him to lie perfectly still. To Jim's horror, the next instant a freight train rushed past, car after car with clicking, grinding steel wheels. Jim was just barely out of their reach!
NOW Jim was thoroughly sober and wide awake. Well he might be! Had he remained another minute on those rails, his Christless soul would have been ushered into eternity. Deeply conscious of the inevitable death that MUST have been his, had not that friendly hand rescued him, he made his way home.
"A friend's hand did it," you say. Be it so; but God used that friendly hand to save the life of that poor drunkard and to pluck him "out of the pit," as it were.
The thought of what MIGHT have been haunted Jim. He could neither eat, sleep, nor work. GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM, and he could not close his ears to that voice. The thought of what must have been his portion had not a gracious hand rescued him filled him with terror. YEA, HELL WITH ITS YAWNING PIT HAD OPENED ITS MOUTH UPON HIM, and one brief moment would have landed him there forever!
What marvelous grace was shown him! God spared that wasted, worthless life that He might save it for Himself. Soon after this Jim Bradshaw was brought to know the Lord Jesus as his own Savior!
The Word of God declares, "God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not." Has HE spoken to YOU, unsaved one? YEA, how often He has! You have turned a deaf ear to His gentle pleading. But it is written, "He will not always chide, neither will He keep His anger forever." Psa. 103:99He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. (Psalm 103:9). GOD waits to be gracious. WHY not hear HIS call? Remember His words, "Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18).