In a lowly cottage lived an aged Christian woman, who made it her daily habit to place a text of Scripture over the fireplace, where she and her visitors might easily read it, and be benefited thereby. Words of gospel grace, and coming glory often thus gladdened the aged Christian’s heart, as she moved about in her home doing her work; and if others called, she was not slow to point them to the words of God, and seek to press them home upon their hearts.
A gaily-dressed young woman called, asking if she could be accommodated with a room for a week. She represented herself as the daughter of a city merchant in search of health. As the aged woman rented her rooms during the summer months to any respectable visitor, the arrangement was made.
“Grannie’s Signboard,” as she called her daily text, which always hung above the fire, seemed to attract the visitor’s attention, but for the first few days she said nothing about it. Whether with special purpose on the part of this dear faithful witness for the Lord Jesus, we do not know, but the texts that week were all of a searching character, telling of sin, and its judgment, and of the sinner’s doom and destiny.
The Spirit of God used them to awaken the young woman, who, as it afterward came out, was a runaway from a Christian home. She had been often troubled about her soul’s welfare, and in order to escape her Christian parents’ continual reminders of God and eternity, she had left home suddenly. God had followed her to that lonely spot, and had His messenger there, and His message awaiting her. She could no longer conceal her state, but told her the whole story.
The aged Christian spoke to her of Jesus the Savior, and told her how He had saved her many years before. The Lord used the earnest words of the happy saint to bring the troubled and unsatisfied young woman to cast herself upon Christ, and she had the joy of seeing her converted.
She returned home a new creature in Christ, and confessed Jesus as her Lord. Now she lives to serve Him, and adorn His doctrine, and often visits her friend in her humble home, where she was first arrested by the text on the wall.
Reader, have you ever looked God’s truth full in the fact, and allowed it to search you? You must one day; now, or in the judgment. Your sin will find you out. You cannot hide it from God. You must either have it forgiven now, or it will be punished in eternity.
Now God in grace is proclaiming a full and free forgiveness through His Son.