By the Editor
God’s Mercy to Sinners
A DYING man said to a Christian, “I am afraid I am lost. I have broken the three vows I made to my dying mother. Before she died she called me to her, and made me promise her three things: (1) That I would never let a day pass without reading my Bible; (2) that I would always go every Sunday to hear of Christ; (3) that I would meet her in heaven.”
The Christian said, “Two of these vows you cannot keep, the third you may: you may still meet your mother in heaven.” He then told him of the mercy of God, and the love of Christ, and before they parted the dying man was crying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” He lifted his face from the darkness where he lay, and it became radiant with the light of a risen Saviour’s mercy.
My reader, you may have doubtless promised a loved one, passing into eternity, that you would meet them in heaven. Have you kept that promise?
The angel of God’s mercy to sinners preached the gospel of mercy over Bethlehem, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill towards men.” He stood by the manger in Bethlehem when Christ was born. He shed the glory of His presence in the home at Nazareth. He walked with Jesus on the paths of earth, and everywhere he went, he proclaimed the mercy of the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.
The blind men saw the light of mercy shining into their opened eyes; the deaf ones heard the music of mercy ringing in their opened ears; the dead were raised at the touch and voice of mercy. Zacchæus saw the light of mercy shining in the eyes of the Son of God, when from the sycamore tree he was told to come down. The widow of Nain rejoiced in mercy’s sovereign light when she clasped her son, given to her from the grave, to her rejoicing heart.
The dark shadows of Gethsemane were lit up by the brightness of God’s love and mercy to sinners. The darkness was for Christ; the dark cloud hung over Him, but the silver lining to that dark cloud was for man, God’s eternal love to man.
The light of God’s mercy to sinners shone above the darkest shadows that hung around the cross of Calvary, yes, it shone above the darkness of those three hours when Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
There was God’s mercy to sinners in the wounds of the suffering Christ; mercy to man in all the sorrows of the Son of God. Then, when the dying Saviour droops His bleeding brow and face upon His breast in death―when He cries “It is finished”―then methinks the angel of God’s mercy to sinners soared aloft, and shouted as he neared the pearly gate, “It is finished”; and the watchmen on the jasper walls shouted, “It is finished,” and all along the golden pathways of Paradise the cry passed from lip to lip, “It is finished.” All heaven rang with the victory of Calvary―the triumph of the Cross.
Sinner, will you accept God’s mercy now? A young man was urged to believe in Christ and be saved. His answer was, “I mean to have Christ by-and-bye, but not just yet.” “But you may never have another opportunity.” “I’ll chance it.” And that was all he would say. A month later he died as he had lived. He took his chance for eternity. God’s mercy was naught to him, what is it to you?
I love to think of the work Christ did upon the Cross as being for me. I bring my individuality in connection with Christ’s death for sinners. I say, for me He came into the world, for me He had not where to lay His head, for me He sorrowed, for me He wept, and agonized and died. For me His sufferings at the hands of men, for me His sorrows at the hands of God. For me, He said, “It is finished.” To me He says, “Come,” to me He offers pardon and peace, as if I were the only sinner in the world, and He had died for me. The work of Christ was done for us as individuals. Take it for yourself now.