"Bob, give me the paper," said Bill Lawson, an engineer, to the news-boy at a train station. Bob, the newsboy, had been recently converted to God. In his new-found happiness he was anxious to share his joy with others. "I'll give you a paper," was his answer, "if you promise to read this tract."
"Tract! I don't want any such rubbish," and Bill walked away.
At their next meeting the engineer made the same request, and got the same reply. A third time Bill asked for a paper, and when he heard the same answer he said to Bob, "You really want me to read it?"
"I sure do, Mr. Lawson."
Taking the tract, Bill finally said, "Well, then, I'll try it."
When next they met Bob's first question was, "Did you read that tract?"
"I did—and I never read anything like it before! I always thought God was like a policeman with a club in His hand trying to arrest me and beat me up. Now I see that He loves me! If He is such a loving God, then I want to know and love Him!"
Many, like Bill Lawson, imagine that God is like a policeman pursuing them to shut them up in the prison of hell. What a perversion of the true character of God! Though God hates sin, He loves the sinner with a great and tender love, for God is love.
Whoever you are, whatever you have been, still God loves you. He longs to give you a free and full salvation. This is what He says in the Bible: As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die? (Ezek. 33:1111Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11).)
God has no pleasure in the death of sinners. Scripture declares that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).)
God is not willing that YOU should perish. He wants you to believe and receive the gospel of His wonderful grace. In spite of this, many ask if we believe that God would want to damn anyone. They should read the Bible! If they did they would learn that God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:1717For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17).)
He longs to bless and save you. You may imagine that it is not a matter of concern to Him whether you spend eternity in remorse and misery, or in joy and gladness. What a terrible mistake!
The proof of His love to you is the fact that He gave Christ to die on Calvary's cross that you might not perish but have everlasting life. Christ bore sin's penalty and shed His blood as a ransom for your deliverance. The ransom price has been paid and accepted. God is satisfied, and He wants you to be satisfied too.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved—believe on the One who was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and you will obtain eternal life as your present possession. Like the engineer, you will have a glad surprise.
Why not believe now and be saved? Why not stop procrastinating? The Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon to take His people home to be with Himself. Are you ready for His coming? Now—now—NOW—tomorrow may be too late!
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.