"Night and morning, for many years, she never failed." These words occur in the account of the early life of a great living celebrity, whose autobiography has been in the hands of thousands of delighted readers.
The story connected with this remark runs somewhat like this. The great man's mother had in her family one son who had left home to seek his fortune in a distant part of the world. Years passed, but he did not return, and all news of him ceased. Every one believed that he was dead, except his mother, and she, loving soul, looked for him, and expected him daily. Night after night, before she retired to rest, she would open her cottage door, and, peering out into the darkness, would cry in loud, yearning tones,—
"O my child, my child, come home, come home See, the door is unbarred for you.”
That door was never fastened. No bolt or bar was ever shot; it was kept on the latch, through all those waiting years. Every morning, as soon as it was light, the mother rose, and hurried away to the crest of a hill near by, from which the surrounding country could be seen for many miles. She faced every way on that hill-top, and strained her eyes to catch some glimpse of her boy. Then opening her arms, while heavy tears rolled down her cheeks, she would cry,—
"O my child, my boy, come, come home!”
Night and morning for many years she did the same, and yet her "boy" never came back, and she was consumed with a mother's sorrow.
Did it ever strike you, dear reader, that night and morning—nay, more than that, every hour of every day and night—One has been yearning for your return, longing for you to come back, spreading forth hands of welcome, and crying, in a voice of entreaty,
"Come home, come home, My child.”
Each time the sun has risen upon you, it has been a ray of light thrown across your path, to show you the way "home." Each time the funeral bell has tolled, telling of some soul's departure for the future life of bliss or woe, it has been a voice crying to you,
"Be ye also ready"—"Come home today.”
Each night, as it has closed in upon you, and brought with it quiet and rest, has been as the voice of your Father, crying, "Come now," amid the stillness of this hour, "and let us reason together: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18).
For our sins have separated us from God—from home—from peace—from rest.
There came a time in the life of that mother when she could no longer go to the hill-top or to the door, and call for the return of her boy. She died. But God will not die, cannot die.
"Jesus ever lives above,
For us to intercede.”
He stands crying to you, the reader of this book, today, just at the moment your eye lights on these printed words, Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.”
The son of that good woman of whom I have written was most likely either dead, or unable to come; but you have the opportunity to come to God, if you will use it. It is your will that is in the way. You can, you do use that will on every other personal matter that you please; now exercise it in this matter of your soul's salvation. Say, "God helping me, I will seek Jesus as my Savior; I will come to Him and serve Him.”
This determination acted upon, is as the opening of the heart's door to Christ; and, once that is open, He undertakes to do the rest, saying.
This is Jesus coming to you; but if you think it is too much for you, a sinner, to expect (though it is not), that the mighty Savior should come to you, then, like the prodigal of the parable, go to Him. Just turn round from sin, and seek God. For, like that mother, He is watching daily, hourly, for you, and while you are still "a great way off," He will run to meet you. Listen to His word: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37).
Do you say, "I am willing to come, but I don't quite know what coming to Jesus means?" In your home, when they say, "Come to dinner," how do you get the benefit of the meal that has been prepared? Why, you come to where it is spread, you look at it, you take it, perhaps you say, "Thank you," for it, and you go away satisfied.
Now come to Jesus in the same way. Come to the cross; look at Jesus dying for you, and hear Him saying, "It is finished" that is —your salvation. Now take this salvation. "How?" you ask. By believing it, and resting upon it. Then say, "Thank you," for it.
Just where you are, when you read this, lift up your heart to God and say, "Lord, I am ignorant and wicked, but Jesus has died for me. Please accept me for His sake; enable me to accept Him; and do Thou accept my thanks for Thy wondrous gift.”
Do this in earnest, and you shall be taught the truth of your salvation by God, and shall receive power from His Spirit to live henceforward the life of godliness.