It was growing dark. On a hill at the edge of the woods stood two persons peering down the path leading into the city. It was a servant of the Lord, and a young man seventeen years of age. Both of them were on the way to a certain village, and were waiting for several Christians who had promised to meet them there and go with them.
The two had waited about ten minutes, when the young man’s patience gave way, and he said: “I feel like going on; it is awful to have to wait so long.”
The aged companion, looking earnestly at the young man, said in a tone which he never forgot:
“Yes, but there is One who has waited, days, weeks, months, yes, many years, for you.”
The young man understood very well what the servant of the Lord meant, and hung his head in confusion, tears starting to his eyes. He had been attending the meetings for years, and knew quite well that he should accept the Lord Jesus as his Savior, but he had always been too careless about it.
On a certain New Year’s evening he had fully determined to turn to the Lord, but he wanted to wait until spring. Spring came and went, but the poor boy had not confessed the Lord. He had put off his soul’s salvation again, and decided to accept the Lord in winter, for in winter he thought he had a better opportunity of attending the meetings. But the whole year passed and now—?
Yes, the Lord Jesus was still waiting for this unrepentant one. If God had lost patience, and death claimed him, how would it have fared with his soul? These thoughts passed through the young man’s mind this evening, and for him there was no more rest.
That same evening he met with another young man, his friend, who was also out of Christ, and put the question to him,
“When do we want to get saved?”
His friend said to him,
“I have been waiting for you.”
He answered: “And I have been waiting for you. But now you may do so or not, I don’t intend to keep the Lord Jesus waiting any longer. Shall we not now bow our knees before God?”
“Yes,” said the friend, “if we do not become in earnest about it now, we might never be saved.” Whereupon they bowed their knees before God and confessed their sins and earnestly called upon Him.
God readily hears everyone who calls upon Him from the heart. He opens His arms willingly to receive everyone who comes to Him in faith.
That same night both young men found forgiveness of sins, and peace with God through Jesus’ blood. Today they are happy children of God; but regret that they kept their Savior waiting so long. How about you?