(Brief outline of an Address given to a Young Women’s Glass.)
IT is strange that, in considering what message I should bring to the young women of this Bible Class, the only texts that have been urging themselves upon my mind are two concerning young men. The first is, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” (2 Sam. 18:2929And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. (2 Samuel 18:29)).
This is the kind of question that your best friends ask about you. Some may ask, Is that young woman handsome? or, Is she popular? or, Is she amiable?
But your best and truest friends, those who have your welfare most at heart, ask, Is she safe?
Let me explain exactly what we mean by such a question when asked of any of you. There are thousands of people in this city who are in terrible danger. The peril that threatens them is not the loss of health, wealth, or friends. It is not that they are exposed to the danger of catching some fatal disease, or of losing their means of livelihood. Such things as these are small in comparison. The fearful peril that lies ahead of so many is the peril of eternal judgment on account of their sins.
The means of safety is at hand. Those who “flee for refuge” to the Saviour are as safe as His grace and power can make them; safe through His precious blood. So we ask of you tonight, Is this young woman safe? Is she one of those who are “Safe in the arms of Jesus”?
This young man Absalom was King David’s favorite son. He was handsome. “There was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty.” He was clever. He was amiable, so much so that he “stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” He was popular. He was successful in his plans and ambitions. But the uppermost question in the mind of the father, who loved him so dearly, was none of these things, but “Is he safe?”
Perhaps you will be surprised when I tell you that there is a false kind of safety, an imaginary safety, which in itself is an additional source of danger. We read of this in the book of Job. “Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?... Their houses are safe from fear” (Job 21:7-107Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? 8Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. 9Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. 10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. (Job 21:7‑10)).
There are people so hardened in their wickedness that they are never troubled with the shadow of a fear as to God and Eternity. Their indifference and self-satisfaction are so complete that they serve as a kind of lightning-rod, so that no warning, no entreaty, no message of mercy can affect them. To their own undoing they have made themselves “safe from fear.” I earnestly trust that none of you are bent upon doing this! Just think how dreadful it would be if any of you were able to attend the Bible Class here every Sunday, and come to a meeting of this sort, and yet remain unmoved by all the prayer and preaching, the sweet gospel hymns, and the Bible lessons! If this has become possible for you, I would not stand in your shoes for all the world.
The second text that was in my mind concerns the young man of the parable in Luke 15, who ran away from his father, but at last returned—repentant. We read that the father rejoiced because he “received him safe and sound.”
The years of wandering and sin were ended. The foolish young man had turned from the way of transgressors, which he had proved to be so hard, and was safe at last, safe with his father, safe in the protection of his father’s love.
Now this is what we desire for each of you. We have all been prodigals. But let me speak in a more personal way. You have wandered in the paths of sinful indifference to the Saviour. You have, I doubt not, tasted something of the hollowness of the world’s smiles. We should like to be able to say of you, “She has turned to God, she has trusted the Saviour, she has been received, and is now safe forever, safe and sound under the protecting care of the Father’s love.”
Christ is the One to do this for us. Look up to Him with the eye of faith, and say with assurance, “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe” (Psa. 119:117117Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. (Psalm 119:117)). Safe indeed are those who are held in the grip of His mighty hand. Safe from the power of Satan, safe front the snares of the world, safe from the slippery paths of sin, safe for time and for eternity.
God grant that among all the adjectives that you may be able to use as descriptive of yourself, this adjective may find a place, and that you may write it with large letters against your name—SAFE!
“Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded
sweetly my soul shall rest.”
H. B. B.