A FEW years ago, in the beautiful summer time, a little girl, whom we shall call May, went with her parents to spend a holiday at a pleasant sea-side resort.
May and her little sister had many happy hours together upon the sands, finding delight in the various recreations, as digging, bathing and games, that are so attractive to young people on the shores of the sunlit sea.
At the same place some earnest Christians were seeking to occupy the time for their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, by holding children’s special services on the beach; and little May, who was only twelve years old, might often have been seen at these services, listening very attentively to the old, yet ever sweet, story of that love which brought the Saviour down from heaven’s bright glory to die on the cross for sinners like you and me.
May had frequently heard of the love of Jesus, but, like some of you, had never yet realized the truth that He loved her, and that she, herself, needed a Saviour; because, young as she was, she was a lost sinner; yes, a lost sinner, even though she had always been an amiable and obedient child; for does not the Scripture say that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”? (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).) And again, “The Son of man (that is, Jesus) is come to save that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:1111For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11).)
But I am pleased to tell you that, after one of these services, little May ran home and told her mother she had given her heart to the Lord. That this was really true, her brief life afterwards bore abundant witness.
A few months later she became sick. Though her complaint at first seemed a very ordinary one, it was soon necessary to send for a doctor, and shortly afterwards to call in another. The sorrowing parents were told that the only chance of saving May’s life lay in performing a surgical operation of a very dangerous kind. Without such an operation, the doctor said, it was impossible that she could live; and even if it were performed, he could not hold out any great hope of her recovery.
Just think for a moment, dear children, how you would feel if you knew that in a few short hours you might have to pass out of this world, away from all those you love and who love you, away from all that you think pleasant, and that you find so much pleasure in; yes, away from all these things, to go—whither?
But May was not afraid, because she knew the Lord Jesus as her own living and loving Saviour and Friend, and she was confident that He would never leave her, whatever suffering she might have to pass through. So at the time arranged the doctor operated, and to his surprise the little patient got on so well that in a few days, as everyone thought, she was out of danger. “You could see the life coming back to her,” said her father to me afterwards.
How rejoiced her parents were to see their beloved child steadily getting stronger, although they had previously despaired of her life! Alas, their joy was to be but short-lived! One morning, about a week after the operation had taken place, May suddenly took a bad turn, and in a few hours her anxious parents saw their darling evidently dying. Just at the last moment her father, who had been repeating some verses of Scripture in her ear, noticed her lips moving, and, bending closely over her, he heard her saying, slowly and with great difficulty, these beautiful words: “Redeemed — by — the — precious — blood — of Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:18, 1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19).)
How would it have been with you, dear little reader, if you had been in May’s place? Could you have rested on that “precious blood,” shed at Calvary? and would you have passed from time into eternity without a fear? Or would you have been afraid to die? O! think over this question well, and answer it in your own hearts, as in the light of God’s holy presence. But remember what God’s Word says: “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).) “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5: 8.)
All then, dear children, that any of you are still unsaved have to do is, first of all, to believe what God says about you, that you are a sinner; secondly, to believe what God says about Jesus, that He died for sinners; and then, if you have believed these two great facts in your heart you will, like May, trust in the Lord Jesus as your own precious Saviour.
You will have from that moment the joy of knowing that all your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake; and then, while He leaves you down here, you will seek to live to Him who loved you so much as to lay down His life for you.
ML 04/29/1917