ON A cold, cloudy morning, years ago, a ship captain was coming down the street on his way to his ship, when he noticed a poorly clad, hungry little boy standing in front of a fine restaurant.
The captain placed his hand gently on the boy’s shoulder and asked, “What are you doing here, my little man?” The little fellow, with a piteous look, said, “Sir, I was just standing here looking at the good things they have to eat in the restaurant.”
“Well,” said the captain, “I have but thirty minutes to spare before my ship leaves; but, my little man, if you had on good clothes, and a clean face, and your hair combed, I would take you into the restaurant and get you something to eat.”
The boy, with a look of love and gentleness, and with tears in his eyes at the captain’s kind words, brushed his hair with his hand and said, “I am ready now.” “Well, my little man,” the captain said, “God bless you; come on in with me and I’ll get you something to eat.”
As the little fellow began to eat, the captain asked, “Where is your mother, my boy?” “Mother died when I was about four years old,” replied the child. “Where is your father?” “I haven’t seen Father since Mother died.” “And who takes care of you?” inquired the captain.
With a look of calm resignation, the boy replied: “When Mamma was sick, just before she died, she told me that Jesus would take care of me; she taught me how to pray and to love Jesus.” The captain, with tears in his eyes, said, “I have just a few more minutes before my ship leaves. If you were only dressed real well and had a clean face, I would take you with me on the ship — you could wait on me.”
The little man looked up into the captain’s face and cried, “Oh Captain, I am ready now.” The captain put his arm around the boy, saying, “Come with me, my little man, and you will always be my boy.”
They both hurried to the ship, and when on board, the captain introduced the little boy to his men, saying: “He will wait on me, and his name is ‘Ready Now.’ He is always ready, and you must not call him by any other name than ‘Ready Now.’ " The little boy cleaned up after the good captain had given him a new blue suit of clothes, and he began his pleasant duty of waiting on the captain. This he did most faithfully.
The captain learned to dearly love the child. However, shortly after, the little fellow was taken sick. One day he said to the good captain. “I feel sick: I have awful pains in my chest. Oh Captain, I want to get close to you.” The kind-hearted man took the little child in his arms and pressed him to his heart. The little one fell asleep and he carried him very carefully to his berth.
A few days later the doctor said to the captain, “I have done all I can for that poor child; he is seriously ill and will die.” “Oh Doctor,” cried the captain, “save him; I can’t give him up.” But the child continued to grow worse.
One day the boy sent for the captain whom he loved so dearly, and as the captain looked him in the face, he could see that he would not last long. In a low, weak voice, the boy said: “Captain, I do love you; you have been so good to me. But say, Captain, I am going to leave you; I am going to where Jesus and Mother are. Oh Captain, I see my dear Mother, she is looking for me. Oh, she looks so sweet; and I see the angels, too. Yes, Captain, I am going to be with Jesus. Captain, won’t you give your heart to Jesus? Meet me in heaven. Jesus loves you; won’t you let Him save you and be a Christian?”
With deep emotion and trembling voice the captain replied, “I have been thinking about it, my boy.” “But when, Captain?” “I will attend to it soon.” “But when?” again asked the boy. “When will you be ready to give your heart to Jesus?” “Well,” said the captain, “I will not put it off much longer.” “Oh Captain, won’t you let Jesus save you? When will you be ready?”
With tears streaming down his cheeks, the captain fell upon his knees and cried, “I am ready now — ready NOW!” And there on his knees, with a broken and contrite heart, the captain gave his heart to God, surrendered to Jesus. About a half hour afterwards some of the crew came to the captain’s room and found him kneeling in prayer. His little friend’s arm was around his neck, but his spirit had gone to be with Jesus. Faithful to his Saviour to the last he had pleaded with the captain and won.
The captain immediately gave up his position and went out to preach the gospel of the grace of God to poor lost sinners. He loved to tell of the dear little boy, who had been the means in God’s hands of leading him to the Saviour.
Dear reader, “Are you a Christian? Do you know Jesus as your own Saviour? Are your sins all forgiven? If not, I beg of you to say as the little boy did, "‘I am ready now — ready now!’"
ML-06/09/1963