Some years ago, my family and I were traveling from the mission field in South America towards home. A few days after the ship left port, the attention of the passengers was drawn to one on board who immediately was seen to be a very sick man, and who now became visibly worse. Soon it became known that this man had recently left a hospital where he had undergone a serious but unsuccessful operation. Now he was returning to his native land with the prospect of ending his life's journey there.
As the sick man grew weaker he was removed to the ship's hospital near the stern of the vessel. There I availed myself of the privilege as a Christian to visit him and to speak to him of eternal things. My first attempt was unsuccessful, for, as I crossed the threshold of his room, a volley of imprecations and blasphemies from his lips fell upon my ears and drove me back. He appeared to be utterly unaware of the seriousness of his condition and took the name of the Lord in vain in the most callous manner.
Returning later in the day I found him disposed to be apologetic. He had not known who I was, he said, or he would not have used such language. I thereupon reminded him that it was not I to whom he owed the apology. Rather, he should bow in penitence before God his Maker, whom he had so gravely offended and whom he would soon have to meet. This sobered him a bit; and when I asked him if he had any hope for the future, he answered simply and honestly: "I have none at all!”
Did heaven hear when he made that confession? Only when a sinner realizes he is lost can we have some expectation that he will appreciate and lay hold of God's plan of salvation as revealed in the Scriptures. Gladly I laid before him the plan which the poet has described as "easy, artless, and unencumbered.”
It was not possible to converse with him long, nor could he concentrate sufficiently to read a copy of the Gospel of John which I left by his bedside. On the next day then, I decided to quote or read a few passages of Scripture, hoping that God would bless them to his soul; and before leaving him that evening I repeated slowly and carefully the well-known words of 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): "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.”
On the third day I visited him early, and he greeted me with a smile. "Well, Mr. Smith, do you understand the love of God more clearly today?" I inquired.
With some effort, but very deliberately, the sick man answered: "Yes, decidedly so!" And then he added, "It was those words you gave me: 'SHOULD-NOT PERISH.' Now I feel I have something to hold on to!”
From that moment his faith in the Savior never faltered. God's Word had said that "whosoever believeth" on the Lord Jesus should not perish, but have everlasting life; and the dying man had believed that Jesus died for him. Now God's Word assured him that he was saved. He certainly had "something to hold on to," and when he entered the presence of the Lord a few days later, he knew that the cable of his faith was firmly attached to an "anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." Heb. 6:1919Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Hebrews 6:19).
Reader, have you a hope for eternity? If not, read again these precious words of 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), and apply them to your own soul's need. Receive them with faith, and you too will be able to say, "Now I have something to hold on to.”