The gospel message had ended; and, after an earnest prayer that God might use it to the salvation of souls, the preacher urged any who were still unsaved to meet him in the adjoining inquiry room. Along with a number of others, a fine-looking young man sauntered in and sat down near the front row. His anxious expression soon drew the attention of the minister, who seated himself by him.
"By your coming in here," said the preacher, "I take it that you are not a Christian. Now I ask you, will you accept Christ as your Savior?”
The young man slumped forward until his bowed head rested in his hands. For a few moments he remained silent while his shoulders began to shake with the depth of his emotion. The muffled answer that reached the questioner's ears was: "Jesus will not accept me.”
"Why not?”
"Because I have been an avowed infidel for many years, and for the past eight years of my life I have devoted my entire time in speaking in public and in private against Christ. I have traveled over nearly all the world, and have spoken everywhere against Him and all who profess to be Christians.”
Straightening up so his despondent gaze could search the preacher's face, the skeptic stated: "He could never forgive me for what I have done.”
"Do you want His forgiveness?" This question by the Christian seemed to present a problem to the unhappy man.
"Well, sir," he said, "I don't know what is the matter with me, nor why I am here tonight. Some power that I can't understand has been working on me for the past couple of days, and I see the useless folly of all my arguments. Tonight I am in a desperate state of mind.”
The servant of God lifted his heart in silent prayer that he might make no mistake in dealing with this man. After waiting a moment, he said: "Friend, what you need tonight is Christ. Cast yourself upon Him, and He will dispel your gloom and sorrow.”
Rousing himself from what seemed to be a deep reverie, the infidel exclaimed: "But you don't understand! I have fought against Him all these years, believing that I was right.”
"Did you have peace in your heart when you were speaking against Christ?”
Startled, he looked at the preacher. "No; I was a coward," he confessed. "Once, coming from a long journey overseas, we were one night driven by a storm near to the rocks off-shore, where the ship would have been dashed to pieces. I thought we were sure to go to the bottom of the sea, and I got down on my knees and prayed to God to save us. The storm passed, and with it went my prayers. As soon as I thought we were safe, like the coward that I was, I reverted to my former stand and proclaimed more positively that there is no God.”
"Well," said the Christian, "let that go; but tell me, what brought you here tonight?”
Again the answer was, "I don't know. I haven't heard a Christian sermon in eight years, nor have I spoken to a Christian in that time. My whole life and companionships have been entirely among skeptics and infidels. But the past few days have been filled with doubts and misgivings. Tonight, as I tried to walk off my depression I passed this open door, and through the darkness there came to me these soothing words: 'Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.'
"I forced myself to continue my walk, but those tender words drew me back. I wanted to hear more, so I slipped into the back seat and listened. Now I am here; please help me get straightened out!”
"My friend," said the preacher, "the Spirit of God is striving with you. Refuse Him no longer. Yield yourself to the living, loving Savior, and He will receive you, for He has said: 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.'”
The bowed head and trembling form told how deeply his heart was moved. The servant of the Lord waited until the struggle ended, and the penitent, subdued spirit was manifested in the uplifted face and thankful praise from the lips of this new believer in the Savior of sinners. "Thank God," he said, "for His love in bringing me here tonight. By His grace I do believe in Jesus, and henceforth I'll trust Him to keep me true to Him.”
Unbelieving friend, can you read this simple testimony to the saving power of the loving Savior and refuse to receive Him into your heart? He still speaks to doubting souls as of old: "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.”