Little Bill was the only son of Dr. and Mrs. Nome. He was such a loving boy and always lively and happy. But rosy cheeks and a smiley face are not always the signs of health, and Bill’s outward looks were deceiving. The little fellow who was so full of life and joy began to grow dull and weary.
“Daddy,” he exclaimed one day in his fear, “is there no way to go to heaven? Have you any medicine for that?”
Poor man! What answer could he give to such a question? The only Physician who was able to help him he did not go to.
There was, however, one who knew of the only remedy “for such a time as this.” He was not a doctor nor a learned man, but a poor boy who had been a street arab. The doctor had picked him up to run errands and do odd jobs for him.
David was a Christian boy and had often wanted to speak to Bill about the Lord. One day he was very surprised when the doctor came and said, “David, Bill wants to see you. Go and entertain him for a while and cheer him up.
“But one thing I tell you, not a word about religion. You understand?”
“Not speak of the Lord Jesus, Doctor? That is impossible,” exclaimed David. “I must speak of Him.”
The doctor was provoked and sent David away, but before he left the room he called him back again. “Here,” he said, “go and entertain Bill, but see to it that he keeps under the covers.”
With a happy heart David went off to visit Bill and soon was sitting at the bedside of the little sufferer, holding his thin wasted hand in his. Before long he began to tell Bill of his Saviour, of how He died for sinners, and that now He was God’s remedy for sin. To all who believe on His dear Son as their Saviour, God gives a full pardon, for He bore their sins in His own body on the tree.
This was what little Bill was longing for, though he knew it not. Soon he received the Saviour into his heart and found rest and peace in believing.
A little later the doctor entered the room and saw at a glance the change that had taken place in his boy. That sad and troubled face was now beaming with joy and he heard two young voices, one weak and the other strong, singing a sweet hymn of praise to the Saviour.
Sometime later the doctor himself was taken very sick and lingered for some days between life and death. He sent for David who came and sought to cheer his master with words of comfort. In order to make good use of his time, when he thought the doctor was sleeping, he would go over the next Sunday’s memory texts, repeating them in a low tone. Quite often, however, the sick man was not asleep; he did not interrupt the boy, but listened quietly. In this way he heard the Word of God.
One day when David was bringing something to the doctor, he stepped quietly into the room, but the sick man had not heard him enter. On his bed before him lay the open Bible and David heard him whisper in much earnestness, “Oh, Lord Jesus, Thou true and only source of salvation, wash me from my sins!”
The Lord heard his prayer and He did not turn him away. The door came to Jesus and proved the preciousness and value of this only remedy—the only way of salvation—Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
ML-09/16/1979