AN aged widow who resided in the South, was frequently visited by a Christian who, in love to her soul, endeavored to arouse her to a sense of her deep need as a sinner before a holy, sin-hating God. Their conversation on these occasions was always of a most serious nature, and frequently the tears coursed down the aged widow’s cheeks as her visitor spoke both of God’s boundless love and of His unsparing judgment, which would sooner or later overtake the unbeliever. She would listen most attentively to the grand old truths of the Gospel, but appeared only impressed with her need to an extent that made her unhappy. She assented to the fact that she was a sinner, but did not apprehend the simplicity of the way of life: consequently she possessed neither the peace nor the joy which flows from a heart belief of the great fact that “Christ died for our sins.”
Calling one day, the visitor found to her joy that the careworn, despondent look had vanished from her face, and that she appeared exceedingly bright and happy, and much to her surprise she was informed that a secret sin had been keeping the poor widow outside the Kingdom of God. She frankly, but with quivering lip, acknowledged that she had been a slave to the baneful drink habit, which had for so long been keeping her away from Christ. But she concluded her sorrowful confession by stating with much assurance that former things had, in her experience, passed away, for she was saved, and knew it on the authority of the unerring Word of God.
Our God delights in mercy. His wisdom is unsearchable. He often uses the simplest thing to serve His might. It was so in this pool widow’s case: her husband had passed away SOME time previously. During his life he had been a furniture broker, and one day when in the lumber-room this sin-bound sinner came across an old volume, which she casually opened, and, noticing its large print, she carried it down into her little sitting room, The title of the volume was “The Traveler’s Guide,” and as she opened its pages and read of ruin, redemption, regeneration, and responsibility, it was indeed a guide to her, for not only was her sin confessed, but she also saw that Christ had wrought a perfect redemption when He, on Calvary’s Cross, died to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
She saw, too, that Christ crucified was the ground of her pardon, and that a risen Christ at God’s right hand was the source of her power to overcome her terrible besetment, and, believing this, she entered into the enjoyment of God’s gracious pardon. His peace filled her heart, and she knew that she would he kept by the same power that had saved her.
Have you a secret sin keeping you from Christ? Is your conscience troubled as you think of it? Is your heart burdened by the weight of that which you would not tell your dearest earthly friend? We know it not, but God knows. If such is your condition, in self-abandonment cast yourself into the arms of Omnipotent love. The One who died for such sinners as you, is now speaking from heaven. He calls you to Himself, He alone
“Breaks the power of cancelled sin,
And sets the prisoner free.”
Though your sin hangs as a millstone around your neck, there is deliverance from its power. Millions have been saved, have been to the Saviour for cleansing, and have received God’s gracious pardon, the Saviour’s blessed peace, and the mighty Conqueror’s all-sufficient power to overcome the particular sin by which they were bound. None need despair: God loves the poor sinner. This caused Him to give His only begotten Son, who came into the world to bear the penalty due to sin, and to seek and to save that which was lost. If you continue in your sin, despise the Saviour, and turn from the love of God, you will know to your eternal shame and loss that:— “The wages of sin is death.”
“But should you still cling to your sin,
And still God’s love defy,
Upon your head must rest the blame
You will most surely die.”
A. G.