When I met Winnie, T thought I should never see her again down here. Winnie and her mother lived in a very small home, and as I entered poor Mother was weeping.
"Come and see my little girl," she said, "she is nearly gone."
There in a little bed in a corner lay our little friend, so pale, and wasted and weak, and hardly able to speak a word for very weakness. I could see too, that she was suffering a great deal, and it. was hard for me to look at her, for I have little girls of my own. But is it not common sight? The youngest of you who read this paper can stop and tell me of a young playmate, or perhaps even a brother or sister who was once as bright and well as yourself, but who now is in eternity. Why is it that little ones get sick and die? There is a verse in the Bible that tells all about it:
I knelt by the side of little Winnie, and spoke to her of the love of Jesus, and told her that I thought she would soon be with Him, for I knew that Winnie was a Christian. Her eyes remained closed but I could see that she was smiling. All at once she opened her eyes and said,
"Yes, but if Jesus has any little thing He wants me still to do for Him, He can raise me up again even yet."
I wondered at her remark, but had to leave. I was not able again to visit the same town for two years, but to my delight, when I did return, I saw Winnie's happy face at Sunday school! I spoke to her at once, but she did not remember me. I wondered if she enjoyed the same happy faith that had been hers when she was sick so I asked her,
"Winnie, if you were to die today, what would become of you?"
"I would go right up to be with Jesus, sir."
"But are you not a sinner? God Cannot have sins in heaven, you know."
With a most happy smile, she replied,
"Yes, sir, I know that I am a sinner, but, The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.' "
That was enough, How it rejoiced my heart! I felt sure that the Lord had raised Winnie up to bear such a bright and happy testimony to the value of the blood of Jesus.
Perhaps someone is reading this paper who cannot say, "The blood of Jesus has washed away my sins." Perhaps instead of that, you say, "Yes, I suppose I am a sinner, but so is everybody else I know, so I will just try to hope for the best." My friend, God cannot look upon sin. (Habakkuk 1:1313Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13).) How solemn! And if you stand before God in your sins, He will put you out of His presence forever. But if you stand before God cleansed in the blood of His own dear Son, He will welcome you as His own redeemed child forever.
Messages of the Love of God 6/22/1952