NO one understands a little child like Jesus does. Early in my life I found that I could tell Jesus what I would not have liked to have told mother. I found that Jesus knew me better than mother did, and that I could not hide anything from Him. How good then it is if we just tell Him everything His love was so great that He died for us to put away the sins of all who trust in Him.
He drew children to Him wherever He went. You see He came on purpose to die for them, so He could not help loving them, could He? There must have been more love in His face for children even than in the face of a father or mother. In dying for us, He paid a price great enough to make it possible for millions of children to be with Him in Heaven, in the Father's happy Home.
Have you ever been troubled about your sins? If you are so, tell it all to the One who loves more than any one. Though no longer here, but alive in Heaven, He loves as much as ever He did. Go to Him then and tell Him all.
When I was a very small boy, not much more than four years old, I had my first trouble. I was allowed a halfpenny a week pocket money to spend as I liked. Well, I saw in a shop window, not far from where we lived a SUGAR PIPE! I thought how grand to have a pipe! and I went in and asked the price., It was one halfpenny. "I shall have a halfpenny on Saturday," I said, "will you trust me?” “Yes," replied the woman, "if you be sure and bring it then." I promised to do so, and went along the street smoking or sucking my sugar pipe, and feeling very important. Well, alas for me! before Saturday came, I was a naughty boy, and as a punishment I was to have no halfpenny on Saturday!
All Saturday I was in great trouble about the debt, and I kept far away from the shop. Sunday, too, was a very unhappy day. I could not sing nor listen to the preaching, but before bed-time, I comforted myself that the woman did not know me and could not find out who I was; besides, I could pay for it later on. So on Monday, I ran downstairs to breakfast in good spirits. On going into the kitchen, the servant said to me, "You're in for it, Master D., the policeman is coming for you. You bought a sugar pipe and you have not paid for it. Here is Annie Toes, who comes to do the washing, and lives next door to the shop where you bought the pipe, and the woman asked her whether she knew a little boy who went about with red stockings on, and she told her it was Mr. C.'s little boy! "
Oh, dear! I thought, what shall I do? Oh, I know, I'll tell L—, a cousin who was staying in the house with us, and who was much older than I. So I said to her: "Will you keep a secret?” "Yes." "Promise me you'll never tell anyone?” "All right." "I'm in great trouble and the policeman is coming"; and I told her the whole story. She went out at once and soon returned, saying to me, “It’s all right; I've been and paid the debt." "Oh, I do thank you," I said; "I'll do anything for you now, for paying my debt and getting me out of this terrible scrape."
Now, dear children, this reminds me of the Lord Jesus. He knew all about our sins and that we deserved death and judgment and that unless our great debt was paid, we must all perish forever. That is why He died for us in His amazing love. We read in 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24), that He Himself, in His Own body, on the tree, bore our sins; that is, the sins of all who believe on Him. They believe with their heart, and confess Him with their mouth as Lord, to be His forever and serve Him all their days until they are with Him where He is.
Jesus not only died for us, but rose again the third day, the very same Jesus, and now He lives, actually Man, in glory, whence He will soon come and take all His own to be with Himself in the Father's house.
What a Savior! May you come to Him now to be forgiven and saved, and in gratitude, give yourself to Him to serve Him forever.
H. D'A. C.