TO come to Jesus, now, is not only to escape the lake of fire, is not only to be admitted into heaven, but it is to be a sharer of the nuptial glories of the Lamb, and to enjoy the intimacies of His love forever.
The same day and hour that the soul draw s near to Jesus by faith, it is graciously met by God with eternal life. Full, immediate salvation is God's blessed answer to our faith in His Son. Love delights to bless; but what so sensitive of neglect? How indignant must injured love be on that solemn day of final reckoning! With what sore judgment it will visit those who have despised its offers of pardon and salvation!
Esau sold the land of Canaan for a mess of pottage; wilt thou sell heaven for less? Judas sold the Saviour for thirty pieces of silver; and for what art thou now selling Christ, heaven, and all? Say, for what? The hope, the barest hope, of a worldly pleasure, and be that pleasure in whatever form it may, it will never realize thy hope. The pleasure of the worldling has a rapid wing, and soon passes away.
But a sting remains. Thou canst hot give wings to it. For a vanity, for a nothing, thou art setting aside all that is good both for time and eternity, and thereby exposing thy precious, immortal soul to ETERNAL CONDEMNATION.
Be wise, oh, be wise! Let not Satan have thee. There is One who loves thee, and seeks thy real good; and, comparatively speaking, only one; arid wilt thou not think of thy only Friend'? He died for thee. Hast thou ever sought an opportunity to thank Him for it?
Thy conscience says, No, never. Is this thy love to thy Friend, thy only Friend? Come to Him now. His love still lingers, He waits for thee.
And His way is to ask no questions, but to bless every newcomer according to the love of His own heart. He will not put thee to shame with perplexing questions, but He will allow thee to hide thy guilty blushes in His own bosom. Were He only to inquire, “Why hast thou been so long in thinking of Me?” shame and confusion would cover thy face; but such a thing He never does. He will rebuke Satan, who is at thy right hand ready to resist thee. But to a poor guilty one, like Joshua in Zech. 3, it is grace without rebuke. He stands up in the face of every foe for the sinner who has fled to Him. "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” The enemy is rebuked, but the penitent is cleansed, clothed, and crowned, and thus brought into the presence of God, to go no more out.
And did He not vindicate the poor woman at His feet in the house of Simon? “I entered into thine house; thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven" (Luke 7). LUK 7
How beautifully He stands up for her, and that in the very face of the nation's pride and self-righteousness! And mark, too, how He fills her heart with a plenary pardon, a present salvation, and perfect peace.
As thou art man, O my fellow-sinner, come to Jesus. Be encouraged. Come now. Thou seest the manner of thy reception. Thou knowest what He will say to thee. Read carefully, I pray thee, these two portions, and there learn the Lord's ways in grace with every poor, guilty soul that comes to Him. Thou hast but to let go thy hold of the world, or rather get away from the world's hold of thee.
Think of Jesus. Learn to know Him. He will fill every aching void, and satisfy thy heart forever. It is impossible to know Him without the heart being filled with joy, whatever the circumstances may be. "Acquaint thyself with Him and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)). JOB 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)A. M.