In one of the suburbs of a large city on a warm summer afternoon a policeman was "on duty." His attention was drawn to three young men on their way to a drinking saloon for a "cooler," as they called it. They were eager for fun, or any sort of a "lark." Seeing the policeman, they judged he would be a fitting object to practice their cleverness upon. One of their company addressed him and asked if he could "give them something to do.”
"Yes, I can," he replied, "if you really want it." "Very well, then; what is it?" they replied.
This policeman, through the grace of God, had learned the truth of the gospel. It was his great delight to use every opportunity to warn and entreat wayward souls; so he told them solemnly that if they wanted something to do they should "prepare to meet thy God." Laughing hilariously and apparently unconcerned, the three passed on into the saloon.
Summer mellowed into autumn; autumn had faded into winter, and the instance was forgotten by the policeman. He was again at his post of duty, when a young man spoke to him. Handing the officer a little book, he asked him if he would read it. He added: "It will do your soul good.”
"What about your own soul; are you right with God?" said the policeman.
The young man replied, "Yes, and do you remember speaking to three young men last summer?" He related the incident to the policeman, adding that the youngest of the three then stood before him. The words "prepare to meet thy God" had pierced his inmost soul.
Wherever he went for days, weeks, months, "prepare to meet thy God, prepare to meet thy God," rang in his ears. They disturbed his conscience, and at length awoke the inquiry, "How am I to prepare?”
Then he heard the gospel preached, and learned that God had prepared a way for the sinner "to be made nigh" and delivered from the wrath to come. Now, in answer to the question, "Are you right with God?" he could say with a joyful heart, "Yes; all right through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross.”