“I WONDER, Harry, that you are not afraid to die; I am terribly afraid!”
Such were the words an old man addressed to a little boy who lay on the next bed to him in a large ward of one of our city hospitals. Harry was about eleven years old; his fevered cheek, too bright eyes, and quick breathing, telling plainly that this short life was fast nearing its end.
A faithful minister had just left, after pressing on the old man an immediate acceptance by faith of pardon and eternal life, as the free gift of God’s great love in Christ Jesus.
“I know it all,” he had replied, “but I do not understand how I can get it, how I can make it my own.”
“How did you get it, Harry?” said the visitor, turning to the dying child.
“Why,” said the boy, “when the Lord Jesus said to me, ‘Come unto Me, .... and I will give you rest’ (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)), I just said with all my heart, ‘Yes, Lord, I come,’ and He was true to His word, and gave me rest. And when He said, ‘Come now,’ I just said, ‘Yes, Lord, now; not tomorrow.’ And when He promised to forgive me freely, to make me His own, and fit me to be with Him forever, I just said,
‘YES, LORD,’
for I knew He could not break His word. How could I say, ‘No’ to Him?”
Tears filled Mr. Clayton’s eyes as he listened to these simple childlike words of unquestioning faith, and he remembered the scripture, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:33And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3).)
“Yes, Thomas, Harry has told us the truth; it is just saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to God’s own words. It must be one or the other. It is a solemn thing to know, if we are not saying ‘Yes’ to His gracious invitations, to His blessed promises, we are saying, ‘No, Lord, I do not believe Thee. No, Lord, I will not come to Thee.’”
After praying with them he left. Just as he did so, the old man himself turned to the child to know why he was not afraid to die.
“I have nothing more to tell,” said Harry, “nothing but just that I say, ‘Yes, Lord,’ to whatever Jesus says to me. If you are afraid, Mr. Browne, it must be that you are saying ‘No.’ He says, ‘When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.’ (Isa. 43: 2.) And I just say, ‘Yes Lord; yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.’ (Psa. 23: 4.) He says, ‘It is I, be not afraid’ (John 6:2020But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. (John 6:20).), and I say, ‘Yes, Lord, I am not afraid.’”
“You are right, Harry. I have been saying ‘No’ all my life to His gracious words; but it is too late now. I wish I had known before that it was just that, saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ O, that it had been ‘Yes’ that I had said!”
“But, Mr. Browne,” said the child, “it is not too late; Jesus is able to save them ‘to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.’ (Heb. 7: 25.) Uttermost will surely reach as far as you, as far as now. ‘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).) That ‘whosoever’ must mean you as well as me. Will you not now say, ‘Lord Jesus, all my life I have been saying “No” to Thee, but now I will say “Yes”? Yes, Lord, I believe Thy words, that whosoever believeth shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Yes, Lord, I believe.’”
He took the promise and the invitation as addressed to him personally; and often as the precious words were repeated or read, you could hear him say, “Yes, Lord, Yes.” The unbelieving “No” was no longer his utterance; he received God’s words with a grateful “Yes.” And as one redeemed by Christ’s precious blood. throughout eternity he will join his praises with those of the dear child, whose simple words and childlike faith had been blessed by God the Holy Ghost to open his eyes, and to turn him “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” (Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18).)
ML 04/28/1918