Some years ago a group of young Christian men decided to make of a holiday a holy day. Well equipped with gospel tracts they started out early in the morning. They walked to the near-by villages distributing "the precious seed" on the way, remembering the Word: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." Eccles. 11:66In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. (Ecclesiastes 11:6).
Visiting the cottages in pairs, two of them knocked at one of the doors. "Come in," was the kindly invitation given, and our two friends stepped in. They were gladdened to see an aged woman sitting at a table with her large old Bible spread out before her.
“Well, Mother," said one of them, "what are you reading that old Book for?”
“Eh, lad, I'm tryin' to see how to make my peace with God.”
“Well," replied our friend, "if you can find that, I will buy you a brand new book, bigger and better than this one.”
She searched in her book, but without success.
“Mother, you cannot find it in that book," said the first speaker after a while of waiting. "It isn't there.”
“Hush, lad," said she. "Ye are only a striplin'; didn't the parson tell us last Sunday in church to go home and make our peace with God?”
Ah, how many such well-intentioned "parsons" make the sad mistake of advising the impossible. He might as well have told them to create a world!
“Eh? Let me see that," said the aged woman, taking the Bible from his hand. She wiped and adjusted her spectacles, and read with her very soul in her eyes the blessed message. Could it be true? Was it possible that what she had striven to do for years had been done by Another?
Again she wiped her spectacles fearing there might be some mistake. But there it stood in what she owned to be God's Word: Peace made through His blood!
Wonder and joy filled her heart as with the simplicity of a little child she received the record which God has given as to the work of His Son. The weary years of fruitless effort were over. Peace was hers— not peace of her own making, but made by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
Suddenly the back door opened. An old man, bent with age, came in and eyed the group. It was her brother.
“Come here, man," said she, "and read this verse yourself.”
Taking the pair of spectacles which served for them both, he too read those blessed, life-giving words. As he read them they made their way into another poor desolate heart, and he also was able to rejoice in the knowledge of God's present salvation.
Praise and thanks now filled all their hearts, and our young friends felt it was indeed a holy day.
Reader, has heaven rejoiced over your salvation, or is it that you too are still trying to make your peace with God? If so, you are 1900 years too late!
Peace has been made! The conflict of Calvary is over. The Lamb of God has made peace by dying for our sins upon the cross. By His resurrection from the dead God has publicly declared that, by Him, all who put their trust in Him "are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39).
Peace being made, it is now proclaimed by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. Now, those who believe can declare: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).
Peace is possessed by those who in simple faith rest upon the work of our Lord Jesus as told in the unchanging Word of God.
Reader, is it yours? If not, cease your fruitless effort, and believe this blessed testimony.