By the Editor A Worldwide Invitation
“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
HOW simple and beautiful this is! Like the music of heaven sounding over the discords of a world, “Come unto Me.” Yes, to a Saviour who has finished the work of redemption, and who, having “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” invites the weary sinner to come to Him and rest. What a terrible burden sin is to bear! and what a blessing it is that rest is given! Do you feel weary, and long for rest? If you do, come to Jesus, and He will give you rest, according to His word. And this is how you must come to Him:—
a. —You must come as you are.
b. —You must come this moment.
c. —You must come believing.
a. —You must come as you are. Don’t try and alter yourself one bit. The leper we read of in the New Testament came just as he was to Jesus. He came with all His spots of leprosy upon him. The man looked at himself, and saw he was a leper; he looked at Jesus in faith, for he knew that He could cleanse him; and so he cried, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” And what did the Lord say to him? Did He tell him to go and try and make himself better first? No; He healed him, leper though he was. And Christ will heal you, as you are, a sinner in your sins, if you call upon His name.
Blind Bartimus cried in his blindness, “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” He knew he was blind; he knew Christ was passing; he knew Christ could give him sight; and he did the only thing he could do, he cried to Jesus. Jesus gave him sight. Jesus will give you sight if you cry to Him, “Jesus, Thou Lamb of God, save me.” Let that be your cry, and He will save you.
The prodigal who had wandered from his father’s house and spent all his substance, found himself in want; and, with the sense of need upon his soul, he said, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants.” He rehearsed his penitence; he came along the way home; but his father saw him, and curtailed his story by putting his arms around his neck and kissing him. The father did not upbraid him because he came in rags, and was in want; he loved him as he was, and blessed him with all he had. “Bring forth the best robe and put it on him; and pat a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” There was joy in the father’s house, and joy in the father’s heart, because the prodigal had returned.
If you come to Jesus now, just as you are, there will be joy in the presence of the angels. Don’t wait to get better by reading the Bible, or by saying prayers. You can do all that after you are saved. Only believe, and believe now.
b. —You must come this moment. Yes, come now, for “now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” The present moment is the time that Christ wants to save you. Just where you may be, as you read this, and just as you are.