The sun shone bright on Edward, as they say, for he was young, blessed with health and energy, and wealthy as well. One morning he called on an old schoolmate, the son of a wealthy banker, who asked him, “Edward, how are you getting along down your way?”
With a hearty laugh Edward replied, “Oh, we’re having a great time,” and he continued by giving his old schoolmate a list of his favorite sports-football, golf, tennis, and so on, in which he and many like him found their highest ideal of “life.”
His banker friend eyed him with pity, for he himself had once found in such things his own satisfaction; but God had opened his eyes to something better and had drawn him out of the world to find his joy in Christ and in His royal service here.
“Edward,” he said, “you seem to be enjoying yourself, and what you say reminds me very much of the words of a wise man I read about lately: “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: (to all of which Edward heartily assented, saying to himself: ‘That’s just what I mean to do') But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” (Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9).) The last part was repeated slowly and solemnly: “For all these things God will bring thee into judgment.”
Edward was amazed. He never expected to hear such words from his friend, so hurriedly and confusedly he said “good-bye” and hurried off.
But he could not forget these words. They kept him company all that day, and the next morning when he returned home, they followed him everywhere. All day and in the still lone night, “For all these things God will bring thee into judgment” sounded in his ear. He could endure it no longer: it was hell begun on earth, he thought.
“I’ll go and see,” he said. So off he went to the bank where his old friend received him cordially. Edward told him his story, and the young banker, taking him into his room, spoke to him lovingly and earnestly, pointing him to Christ, the Saviour of the lost. Edward believed the record, and became a possessor of everlasting life in Christ. He was saved and went back home a new man.
At first he thought of keeping it all quiet, a resolve which Satan was well pleased with, but the light was there and could not be hid.
Returning from a meeting, Bible in his hand one day, he saw a number of his old friends standing chatting together. The tempter suggested, “Hide the Book,” and in a moment it was inside his breast pocket. He came alongside his former companions. One, observing the unusual size of his chest, poked it and said, “What have you got there?” And all at once, drawing out the Bible, Edward held it up before them all and confessed the Lord. From that day onward he fearlessly spoke of Christ, and God blessed his words to many a weary soul.
One night someone called and asked him to go and speak to a dying man. It was a plot of the enemy. On the way a shot was fired, aimed with deadly accuracy at his heart. The bullet passed through his coat, but his loved Bible, which he carried in his pocket, became his life-preserver. In days to come, he often showed the course of that bullet as it ran through the Old Testament, through the Gospels on to John, ch. 17:11, grazing the words: “Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me.” And to old age God did keep his child.
Dear reader, remember these words: “For all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” Your secret sins, your midnight deeds will all be there.
There is not a sin forgotten before God, and not one will pass unpunished in that day. Today God through Christ proclaims forgiveness of sins. All who now believe the message are “justified from all things” (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)). But the rejector and despiser of God’s gospel passes on to the judgment.
ML-06/25/1978