A Christian friend had by some unaccountable means contracted blood poison in a finger. It was so painful and serious that he had put himself under medical treatment.
One day when his finger was nearly healed I accompanied him to the surgery. There we had to await his turn to see the doctor.
A blind man who was suffering from a swelling in his neck was also in this surgery. He and my friend had known each other for many years. A conversation of a sympathetic nature arose between them.
I was much interested in this conversation and my sympathies went out to the blind sufferer. He had lost his sight through a premature explosion at a blasting operation in a mine many years before. At the same time three fingers of his right hand had been blown off. Now he was suffering from an incurable malady and seemed near the end.
What was I to say to one advanced in years and yet perhaps without hope for eternity? Happily, there was One who knew exactly what he needed. This One had watched and was still watching over him in tenderest mercy. He was about to speak straight to his heart and soul, and then end his life of suffering and toil by taking him home to Himself.
A short conversation began between us as to his future. I drew his attention to the vanity of the pleasures of this life and to the grave uncertainty of it. No one was sure whether his riches would not soon vanish away, or his health fail. If he had made no provision for eternity, and death should overtake him, what then?
He replied that he had long wished to have assurance of eternal happiness, but had been unable to obtain the confirmation of faith on this important subject. I replied that probably he had never seen his hopeless condition as a sinner before God; but he freely confessed that his conscience had spoken plainly and frequently as to that matter, and had left him convicted as a sinner without peace.
"Well," I said, "suppose you were wrecked in the midst of an agitated sea, and that all hope of your salvation from a watery grave had departed as far as your ability to save yourself was concerned. Suppose that at such a time a lifebuoy were thrown within your reach. What would you do? Would you not cling to what would secure your safety and entirely depend upon the skill of those who had undertaken to save you?”
"Well," said he, "I never saw it in that light before. I shall not forget it, but will try to lay hold of it.”
Our interview ended, but my friend called to see him a few days later and had the joy of taking a peace-giving message to this thirsty soul. He spoke to him of the precious blood of Jesus, the blood which cleanses from all sin. He assured him that God had provided a Savior for sinners, and that all that had been done by Jesus on the cross was available for him in his present deep need. He told him that the moment he put his personal faith in Christ as his own sin-bearer, salvation would be his. It was at this point that the light dawned upon his soul and the blind sufferer received the Light of life.
We both visited him on two other occasions and found him relying upon the Lord Jesus alone and firmly resting upon His work for eternal security and joy.
On Christ salvation rests secure;
The Rock of Ages must endure;
Nor can that faith be overthrown
Which "rests upon the "Living Stone.”