Into a shoe factory, where shoes were being made for the Government, a faithful servant of the Lord entered, and began to hand out Gospel tracts among the men, which some took, while others refused. When the intruder (?) had gone, those who scorned the gospel message began to reproach the ones who had accepted the little papers. The boldest of them snatched one of the leaflets from his fellow-workman, and holding it in his hand in triumph, he exclaimed, “I know where to put that thing,” then placing it between the inner and outer sole of a pair of shoes, he nailed them together, amidst the laughter of his like-minded comrades.
The eyes of the Lord were upon one of these pairs of shoes, as well as on a dear young soldier on a battle field in a far off foreign land. An enemy’s bullet struck and wounded him, though not seriously; but he could not rise, for his foot had been hit. As his comrades rushed on to victory, he had to lie there and wait till help came. In the meantime he examined his wounded foot; the bullet had severed the sole from the upper part, and in between he noticed a piece of printed paper, saturated with the oozing blood. He looked at it more closely and read these words: “Shall not return unto Me void.”
What was it that should not return void? He desired to know. With difficulty he raised himself, and bending forward, he drew out carefully the paper with the mysterious words. Only a small piece could he draw out, but it was enough to preach to him the Word of life. It was God’s own Word and without doubt, it was meant for him. This touched him greatly. His whole life stretched itself before him; his many sins rose up against him, accusing him before God. But supposing the bullet had struck his heart, and ushered him at once before God as his judge? His very soul shuddered at the thought of it, for surely his lot would not have been with the redeemed in heaven, for he knew nothing of redeeming grace.
Where would he have landed? In hell, he knew only too well. With trembling lips he prayed.
“God, be merciful to me a sinner!” How good he found it still to be the day of salvation.
The God of love and grace, whose Spirit hovers even over the battlefields, heard the cry of contrition and answered it. He drew this dear soul to His loving Father-heart, and forgave for Jesus’ sake, all the sins of his life, the mighty debt he had incurred.
Now a far better hope than to return to his earthly fatherland filled his soul, for heaven itself was now open to him, for the One who has said, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself,” had first given him a right and title to yonder glory land, to enter it perhaps very soon, to sing the praises of Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has wrought the mighty victory against sin, death, hell and Satan, with all those who are redeemed by His precious blood, thus finding grace in the day of salvation.
“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1: 7.
The seed sown in his native land had borne fruit in that distant land, though the godless mocker meant to destroy it. God had shown again that His Word should not return to Him void, “but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isa. 55: 11.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5: 1.
ML 02/12/1967