Many years ago when King George III of England once visited the royal stables, one of the stable boys attracted his attention. Something about the boy won the King’s favor, and he treated him kindly in many ways.
But a time of temptation came, and the boy fell into disgrace. He had stolen some oats from the royal bins, and being detected, the head groom had him discharged. There seemed to be no idea of speaking to the poor lad about the sin of stealing, and abusing the confidence of his master, but only a determination to treat him as he deserved, and dismiss him. How good that God “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities,” Psa. 103:10, or He would have turned us from His presence forever, and consigned us to everlasting judgment, for we “all have sinned.” Rom. 3:23.
Not long afterward, when the King again visited his stables; he noticed that the boy was absent, and asked the head groom what had become of him.
“I have discharged the boy, sir,” he answered.
“For what reason?” asked the King.
“He was caught stealing oats,” was his reply.
The King felt sorry for the poor boy who had disgraced himself, but determined not to give him up, and ordered him to be sent for immediately. Without loss of time the boy was brought to the king. What a scene that was! Face to face with Britain’s King stood the boy, a convicted thief!
“Well, my boy,” said his Majesty when the poor lad, not knowing what awaited him, stood before him, trembling and looking very pale; “is this true what I hear of you?”
The lad could not look up into the King’s face, but, with his head bent down, his only answer to the kind inquiry was a flood of tears. His mouth was stopped, for he knew he was guilty; he stood condemned, without excuse. And this reminds us of what we read in Rom. 3:19: “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
The King, seeing the boy was truly sorry on account of his sin, spoke to him of the evil, how he had not only taken what was not his own, but abused the confidence placed in him.
“Well, my boy,” said his Majesty, putting his hand kindly upon the boy’s head, “I FORGIVE YOU.” Then, turning to the head groom, he said, “Let the boy have his job back again, and let him be cared for.”
What a thrill of joy the lad’s heart felt as the King uttered those three words, “I FORGIVE YOU.” Instead of being ordered off to prison and punished and disgraced, he was restored to favor, and reinstated in the place he had lost.
As his Majesty was leaving, he turned around, looking steadfastly at the boy, and in the hearing of the grooms and servants about him said, “If anyone says a word to you about those oats, TELL ME!” Now this was a double assurance to the boy. Not only was he forgiven, and that publicly, but not a word was to be said to him about his past sin; it was to be forgotten. Who would invite the King’s displeasure by telling the boy of his fault? This act of grace had a greater effect upon the boy than any punishment would have had. How, after such kindness and forgiveness, could he again wrong so gracious a master who had so deeply interested himself on his behalf? Would it not rather call forth devotedness of heart in his service, and a fear of grieving him anymore?
Is not this a beautiful illustration of divine grace, of God’s way with sinners like ourselves? It may be, like the poor stable boy, we are thoroughly conscious of our guilt, and with a broken heart, finding no words to tell out its repentance and godly sorrow. Now God frankly and freely forgives all who believe on His Son, who died for sinners. Salvation, free and full, is offered to all.
Just as the King said to the boy as he left the stables, “If anyone says a word to you about those oats, tell me!” so God speaks to His children. He says: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” God who justifies? No! Christ who died? No! They can say, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31,33).
If Satan distresses me about what I have been or what I have done, I go to the Lord and tell Him about it. It’s all true perhaps what he says about me, but then, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.
The King restored the stable boy to his position. God has done far more. He has united us to Christ by a link that never can be broken, and we not only have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, through the riches of His grace, but He says we shall in a little while be taken away to be forever with the Lord Jesus, where there will be none to tell us of our past sins, but every tongue will be employed in the praise of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24.
ML 06/30/1968