In a little fishing village Sandy was a notorious character. He was so wicked that he earned for himself the nickname of “Satan.”
One day, a Christian worker, walking along the shore, saw Sandy mending his nets. He stopped to talk with him and asked if he had been going to the gospel meetings.
Sandy replied, “No! and I don’t intend to.”
He continued, “Preaching does no good. Depend on it, it won’t last, for when the preachers leave, the converts will be as much servants of the devil as I am.”
The Christian replied, “God is able to save you. We will pray for you.” And he walked away.
Sandy began to think of what he had heard. Why are they going to pray for me? If they are going to pray for me, maybe it is time I should be praying for myself. He began to review his past. Memory pointed him to his life of sin and shame. His sins rose up before him like mountains, and so miserable did he become that he laid his nets down and went home.
His wife greeted him with, “Sandy, I am going to the meeting tonight.”
“Why, what are you going to do there?”
“Oh, I am going to hear those preachers. My mother has been converted. She says she knows her sins are forgiven. And our Mary, you would hardly know her! She is so happy now.”
Sandy was astonished at this news, but his pride would not allow him to go with his wife and she went alone to the preaching, leaving Sandy much disturbed.
After she was gone and he was left alone in the house, he realized in some measure the full weight of his sin. He saw himself lost and ruined, a hell-deserving sinner, and now his conscience began to trouble him for refusing to attend the meeting.
“Shall I go, or shall I not?” After a good deal of deliberation he resolved that he would go. Slipping out of the house, he hurried off to the place where the meetings were being held.
His courage failed him at the door, so he walked to the opposite end of the building. Standing under the window, he listened attentively to the story of Jesus and His love. Amazed, he heard that the worst sinner may be saved by simply believing on Him who suffered and died for all his sins.
He was intensely interested in what he had heard. Could it be that eternal salvation was to be had as a gift? This was truly news to him.
Toward the end of the meeting, fearing that he might be seen by his wife, Sandy hurried home and undressed. Jumping into bed, he pretended to be asleep when his wife arrived.
She entered the room and, coming to the bed, she shook him vigorously. “Sandy! Sandy!” she cried. “Wake up! I have it now - I am converted.”
Suddenly forgetting that he was asleep, he opened his eyes wide and asked earnestly: “And how do you feel, Jeanie?”
“Feelings have nothing to do with it at all, Sandy. It is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All you do is believe on Him!”
Sandy could hold out no longer. His wife’s mother and sister, and now his own wife, had been converted. In an agony of soul he besought his wife to help him get converted too - to pray that God would give to him His great salvation. Jeanie tried to explain to him that salvation was not to be gained by prayer or work, but that it came wholly by faith in what Christ had done on Calvary’s cross. Earnestly she told him that the moment he believed on the One who had died for him and had borne his punishment at Calvary, that very moment he would be saved and have everlasting life.
She told him in her own way of the verses of Scripture that had given light to her soul: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Sandy pondered the precious words he had been hearing. Suddenly he exclaimed: “I see it now, Jeanie! I see! There is Jesus hanging on the cross, and all my sins are on Him.”
Joyfully his wife cried out, “Stick to that, Sandy, my man! Stick to that!”
Peace and joy now filled his heart, because he believed that Jesus died for him.