“WHAT a horrid shame to frighten a fellow out of his life!” exclaimed Lieutenant P — one night at mess, in C—Barracks.
“What’s the matter now, P—?” was the query which the above exclamation at once raised. “What’s up now?” and all were agog to know what had frightened the gallant officer out of his life — as he called it.
It appears, from the reply made, that Lieutenant P — had been to Portsmouth on duty that day, and as the train slowed into the station, looking out of the carriage window, his eye lighted upon a large board, fastened to a house, on which, in huge characters, had been painted, “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD,” and this passage of God’s word it was which had caused the expression, “What a horrid shame to frighten a fellow out of his life!”
Ah! poor, dear P—, one could only wish it had frightened him, indeed, out of the old into the new life; but that one must leave; perhaps someday those words will yet be used of God to his soul — read them again he never will. For many years since, sight passed from those eyes, which then were able to decipher that which, for the moment, startled the officer.
Doubtless many had seen and read those five words, “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD,” and though you may not have seen them on that very identical board, my reader, you have in God’s word itself, or heard them often enough. And let me ask, are YOU “prepared to meet your God? “One day you will have to meet Him, and more than that, give an account of yourself to Him. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)). And that day may come sooner than you think, much sooner than you would like. Is it not then a matter of transcendent importance that you should be prepared for this tremendous meeting?
Has the thought never caused you anxiety? Have you never tried to avoid the question? Both, my reader, both, and you know it. But it is no use putting it from you, and at the bottom of your heart you are aware of it. Well, then, why not look the fact in the face, and get the all-important question settled as to this preparation to meet this giving account of self to GOD.
Do you say, “Well, how am I to be prepared? what is the preparation that Holy One needs?” Thank God, this can soon be answered to the simple soul, who is real as to his or her state of unfitness to meet God.
God has Himself provided this fitness, knowing that no one else could, and not willing that any should perish. And therefore what He has provided must, as a matter of coarse, satisfy Him. The word tells us, when there was no eye to pity, no arm to save, His eye pitied, and His arm brought salvation. What a God! So holy that He could not look upon sin, and yet so loving that He could say, “Deliver him from going down into the pit; I HAVE FOUND A RANSOM.” Yes; “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” — but He was so intensely righteous, that when that Blessed One was bearing sin in His own body on the tree, God hid His face from Him, and we heard that cry of cries, “My God, my God, why past Thou forsaken me?” Preparation was being made for you, dear soul; not some rags of your righteousness, but the best robe, such as the Father had in readiness for the prodigal.
Of course you have often read the third chapter of Genesis, and noticed how utterly Adam’s preparation “to meet God” failed to satisfy his own conscience, let alone the holy eye of Jehovah. No! the moment the Lord God comes into the garden, Adam hurries off behind the trees, to hide from Him. No good, Adam must come out, and know after all his fig-leaf apron will not hide his nakedness.
So with you, my reader; all your righteousnesses are but filthy rags, and will not form any preparation. But what did God do in Adam’s case? You know; apply it to your own case. “The Lord God made coats of skins and clothed Adam.” HE DID IT ALL — made the coats and put them on. Was Adam now prepared to meet God? The question is,
“Was God satisfied with the preparation He made for His sinning creature?” If the type is so distinct as to this with regard to Adam’s case, how much more for your own? It is not now the death of an animal — the skins of beasts — but the death of God’s own Son, in your stead; the blood of that precious Jesus for your cleansing; and Himself risen your essential righteousness before God. Is God satisfied with this? That is what settles the question in my own mind. HE IS, MUST SE, AND EVER WILL BE, or it is His own providing. “Whom GOD HATH SET forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood” (Rom. 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25)); and with reference to that blessed One we read, “Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God” (Heb. 9.); and now the Holy Ghost, through the word, testifies to these facts. God provided Him; He offered Himself. So the whole thing is done, and He is the poor sinner’s preparation who believes God’s word. “Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification.” As I like to alter that verse of a well-known hymn,
“I hear the words of love,
HE sees the mighty sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.”
My dear friend, here’s preparation for you; will you accept it? will you bow to the word of God? Because if you do, you are prepared this moment to meet that Holy God, and find another has given an account for you.
Again that passage comes before me. Several years subsequent to the above another board was seen by hundreds leaving the racecourse at Chester; on it was painted, “THE RACE IS RUN; YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MONEY. ‘PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD.’”
One soul, at least (God knows how many more), was not “frightened out of his life,” but brought into exercise and trouble of conscience, which resulted in conversion to God. As he read those words it flashed through his mind, “True enough, the race is run; I have lost my money, and I have to meet God.” From this he could not get away, or find any rest to his soul, until he learned what one has been trying to set forth as God’s preparation for the poor sinner, wherein he CAN meet Him whenever he may be called to do so; and in the meanwhile sing,
“Not a cloud above, not a spot within;
Christ died — then I am clean.”
Doubtless both those who put up the two boards I speak of, the one at Portsmouth, some twenty years ago, which caused Lieutenant P — to exclaim as he did, and on Chester racecourse many years subsequently, had themselves learned what a dread-fill thing it would be to be ushered unprepared into the presence of God, without being cleansed in the precious blood of Christ, and have Him as their best robe before that Holy One, and therefore wished to warn others. “The day” alone will declare how many, not only took the warning, “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD,” but learned what the preparation was. May you do so, my dear reader, and at once, and then be used of God to other precious souls, not only to warn of coming judgment, but to tell of present pardon and peace for all who are sheltered by the precious blood of Jesus, and be like the Thessalonians, waiting for God’s Son from heaven, whom Ho raised from the dead— “even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 2:1010Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: (1 Thessalonians 2:10)).