“I wonder what time it is,” I thought, as I was hurrying along the street near my home; and I glanced up at the large clock over the watchmaker’s shop to seek an answer to my question.
The clock was there certainly, but it was of no use in telling me the time, for the hands were gone! There were the figures marked clearly enough, and there may have been works inside; the springs may have been rightly placed, and the wheels may have been going round; but, if so, it was no good to me. But, though it did not tell me the time, it gave me a subject for thought during the remainder of my journey homewards.
There are three kinds of clocks. The right kind must have good mechanism properly working inside, and hands to point the hours outside on the face.
Secondly, there are clocks with hands rightly enough, but with no proper machinery within. This is a very bad kind, for they profess to show the time, but are, in reality, deceiving those who look upon them.
Thirdly, there are clocks like the one I saw, with no hands.
Was the machinery good? I cannot tell. Only its owner knew about that; he could see the interior, and knew whether or not the works were sound. To him it may have been a very valuable clock, but to others it was worthless.
There are three classes among those who are called Christians, which correspond to these three Classes of clocks.
First, there are real Christians, who know that they are washed in the blood of Christ, and can say that God is their Father, and who are seeking (though perhaps in a very small measure), to bear a faithful testimony to the world around, pointing, as the hours and days go by, to the “Lamb of God,” and warning others that the time is short, and that “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” It is not that the rightly pointed hands make the machinery good, but because the machinery is good the hands point aright.
It is the work of Christ for us, and the work of the Spirit of God in, us, that make us real Christians; and then our testimony flows from that; though, alas! we often mar that testimony by allowing our old nature to have its way; nevertheless, all that is pleasing to God in the life of a Christian flows from the work of God in the heart. May we all learn, day by day, more of what it is to live here as witnesses for that One who was ever the faithful and true Witness for God!
Again, there are those who make a great profession, and say they are followers of Christ, but there is no life in their souls; they have never known the grace and love of God, nor the power and efficacy of the work of Christ. They are like clocks with hands, but with no machinery inside. In a day that is coming, such people will say, “We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.” And the Lord will reply to them in those terrible words, “I never knew you.”
Ah, dear reader, see to it that you are not among these; let no supposed good works of your own, or prayers, or Bible-reading, lead you to think that you are safe. Nothing will do but that true faith in the heart that can enable you to say, “I am a poor lost sinner, but Jesus Christ is my Savior.” Of what use are hands to a clock if there is no machinery within?
There is yet a third class of people, who have trusted Christ as their Savior, and who have tasted the grace and love of God. They have believed in the heart, but have never confessed with their lips; they bear no testimony to those around of what the Lord has done for them. They are like true clocks without hands. These cannot be distinguished from the “false clocks” by any but the Master Himself. He can read the hearts, and knows when there is real faith in Himself; and to Him they even are precious.
Are they happy? They cannot be. Salvation is known only by those who have confessed with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and believed in the heart that God hath raised Him from the dead.
Dear young Christians, do not be like hand. less clocks. Your sins are forgiven. You can look up and say, “I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then what testimony do you bear to those around? Can they, by looking at your life, say, “What great things God has wrought!” Remember, “that with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”