He had been a wild young officer, this lieutenant, as wild as any of his fellow officers; but when God saved his soul, He changed his whole life. Several others were affected in the same way and at the same time, but his conversion was the greatest surprise because it was least expected.
In the flush of first love, these newly converted young officers felt that they would like to preach the Gospel that they now believed. Dear saved reader, we can understand that. A man cured of a very painful malady by a skilful doctor is expected to talk about it and to recommend his doctor to others. Should people be surprised when men whose souls have been saved by the great Savior-God want to speak of Him?
These officers rented a hall in the town in which their regiment was stationed and took turns preaching. Soon our young friend's turn came to tell the story. He decided to take for his text those wonderful words, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life!" John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
He could not have chosen a better text. But when he had read it and looked up from his Bible at the crowd before him, he could not think of anything to say about it. He decided to repeat the text, if he could remember it. He began: "God—God loved the world—God, God so loved the world: Yes, God so loved the world that, that—”
And that was as far as he could get. Catching sight of an open door at the back of the platform, he made a dash for it and disappeared through it, to the astonishment of his audience.
He paced up and down the anteroom, berating himself for his folly in attempting to preach a sermon. Vowing that he would never do it again, he heard a knock on the door. When he opened it, a young woman was ushered in. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she could not speak for sobs. "What's the matter with you?" said the would-be preacher. "Is someone dead?”
"No," came the astonishing answer. "I never knew before that God loved me.”
What an amazing result from what he had thought was a great failure! The stumbling words had done their work, and they knelt together in that anteroom, two astonished people—she, that God loved her; he, that God should have used his blundering to acquaint her with His great love.
Unsaved one, hear these blessed words: "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
What a wonderful story it is! Does it not search your heart, and will you not allow the light of life to shine into your soul? Then you can say with wonder and thanksgiving, "I never knew before that God loved me.”