A young girl had been brought up where the Bible was known and read, and had often heard the gospel of God, concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, but had never seriously taken the message as having any meaning or value for herself.
One bright morning, in obedience to her mother, but with reluctance on her own part, she went to a cottage in the neighborhood to visit a young girl who was seriously ill, with no hope of recovery. She had not been intimately acquainted with the invalid, but specially remembered her uncomely appearance.
Ushered into the chamber of the sick girl, who was evidently drawing near to the end of her earthly course, the visitor noted with wonder that there was no shadow of anxiety or fear on the face, but a calm, happy spirit seemed to animate the frail body.
With a pleasant smile, the dying girl welcomed her young visitor, and quietly said:
“Is not this a lovely morning, Miss M. to go and see Jesus?”
Once a lost sinner, under the burden of her sins, she had found Jesus to be her Saviour, and since then she had grown into a deeper acquaintance with Him, tasting day by day of His grace and love. Now she knew that she was about to pass away from this world, and it was her joy that she was going to see and be with the One who had loved her while yet in her sins, and given Himself for her.
A few hours after this she departed to be with the Lord.
The secret of the manifest joy and happy words of the dying girl was beyond the comprehension of the young visitor; but the Spirit of God used the testimony to bring to her soul the need for, and the value of Jesus, as Saviour and Friend so that she too was led to confide her soul to His keeping.
Reader, would there be any joy for you, were you expecting to leave the world in the next few hours; or would it be sorrow? Have you found out that you, too, need a Saviour?
You must meet God, either now in this the day of His grace, when salvation is brought to you in Jesus, or when the day of His grace is past, and you meet Him as the Righteous Judge. Then it will be, must be the day of judgment, but not then the day of grace.
True happiness belongs to those who, confessing their need, have accepted God’s grace now, and, believing the testimony of God’s Word and Spirit to the finished work of Christ, the now exalted and glorified Saviour have peace with God, and know their sins forgiven.
Does the name of Jesus bring any comfort to your heart, bring any thought of peace and joy: Have you bowed to the authority of that name? Everyone must bow. If not now in grace, then the rebel knee must bow, and the tongue confess to Him, in the day of manifested power and glory.
“Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:5-115Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5‑11)).