SOME thirteen years ago a young man whom I knew well was spoken to by God in a very marked way. He was the child of Christian parents, and many a prayer had ascended to the throne of grace by his praying mother on his behalf, and now the time had come when God was about to answer these prayers.
It was on a lovely-Whitsuntide afternoon that this young fellow, accompanied by his companion, went to one of the favorite seaside resorts on the north-east coast of England, and took off a small boat for a couple of hours’ pleasure. As they rowed away from the harbor the sun shone most brilliantly, and there was hardly a ripple to be seen on the water. How their hearts bounded at the pleasant prospect of a most enjoyable time, while they reveled in the full flush of health and strength. The tide was ebbing, and they had placed about a mile between themselves and the shore, when suddenly a solemn warning appeared in the sky in the form of a quickly gathering cloud. Immediately the smooth surface of the sea was broken into countless wavelets, which gradually grew larger and larger, and were finally lashed into foaming billows by the pitiless wind. The two young fellows did their utmost to bring the boat back to shore, but alas, they had tide and wind to battle with, and rather than make any headway, they found themselves drifting farther out to sea.
Now that their lives depended upon their exertions they made repeated and frantic efforts, but all proved unavailing, and their hearts, which had been so light and gay, grew heavy and despairing. They tried over and over again to keep the boat’s head to the waves, but it proved unsuccessful, for they just escaped being overturned by a huge billow, only to be submerged by a larger one the next moment. Needless to say, the frail boat could not right itself, and the occupants were precipitated into the seething water. For a few seconds it seemed as if their voyage was about to hasten them from the German Ocean to the ocean of an endless eternity, as neither of them could swim. A watery grave seemed to be inevitable. Suddenly, however, after being tossed about in a whirlpool of foam and spray until their strength was almost expended, they discerned with renewed hope the stalwart figure of a man running quickly to their rescue along the pier near which, through God’s especial mercy, they had drifted. A lifeline was thrown to them, and, with a great effort, they managed to grasp it, and were finally rescued from an untimely grave.
Dear reader, this instance was the means, in God’s hands, of awakening the elder of these two young men to a sense of the awful position in which he stood before God about the question of his sins, and of his deep need of a Saviour. This exercise went on for a few weeks, when he came in contact with a former companion who had some eighteen months previously been saved, and whose heart was all aglow with the love of God. He spoke to the troubled young man about his soul and of the love of God to poor sinners expressed in the gift of His only begotten Son, and thank God, as the doubting one stood on the pavement in the open air, he believed in Christ and was saved.
What about you, dear reader? you are lost if still in your sins, and you need a Saviour. There is not one of Adam’s race exempted from the awful consequences of sin, for all have sinned (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). The sooner you get saved the better, as eternity is drawing nigh. You are on the smooth smiling waters of lime, but your bark is most assuredly drifting to the breakers of eternal woe, and most certainly the shipwreck will come. The black darkness of eternal perdition is looming ahead, and suddenly you will be overwhelmed in the judgment of God’s wrath. Ere it is too late seize the life-line firmly, which is so freely offered to you, while it is within your grasp, “the gift of God is eternal life” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has been shed for the very purpose of washing your sins away, and the life-line is Christ Himself, who came from the glory of heaven to earth amongst sinful men, that they may take Him as their refuge from the coming storm, and be eternally saved. Dear reader, take warning, and flee from the wrath to come.
“Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear?
When the breakers roar, and the reef is near;
While the surges rave, and the wild winds blow,
Shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.”
D. J.