An old grey-headed man who was made to know when he was a boy that his sins were forgiven, said in his old age, “I think if there has been one thing more than another that I have blessed and thanked God for as life has gone on, it is that He gave me to know my Saviour and to have my sins forgiven when I was a little child.”
This man had, when a little boy, been greatly troubled about his sins, and it was only after many efforts and sore struggles that he was led to see that Jesus was a kind and loving Saviour, and that God, who gave Jesus to save him from perishing, was now his Father, and that he was God’s child. When he saw this, the burden of sin was lifted from his heart, never to come back again. Many years passed over his head, and those years were spent in service to the One he loved—the One who had saved him.
Do you think, dear children, that this man regretted, as the end of his life drew near, that so much of it had been given to Jesus? He did not; if you have read carefully what he thanked God for, you will see that he was very, very glad that he had lived his life for Jesus. He did not say, I am sorry that I did not take a little longer time for pleasure before turning to Jesus; and he did not say, it has made a weary road for me to travel, following Jesus. Oh! no, with his whole heart he thanked God that he had been brought to Jesus when he was a little child.
And now let me say to you, dear little readers, the life that is not lived for Jesus, is not worth living. I pray God that if you have not already given Him your heart, you may give it to Him now. Satan would have you wait until you are grown; then when you are grown up, he will whisper, wait a little longer—you can have a good time for a while, then it will be time enough. Do not listen to him for he is a liar.
The happiest time to come, and the best is God’s time, and that is Now! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” R.
ML 02/11/1900