“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. ―Is. 55:1
I SUPPOSE this little fellow thinks he has as much right to drink at the fountain as the man has that is just by him; and so here he conies, and takes, and drinks. And he is quite right too: the school may be for little boys, and the workshop for grown-up men, but the fountain is for both, if both are thirsty and both will come and drink. Just so, dear little reader, any one is welcome to come to the Lord Jesus who is willing to come. There are some men who only care for rich people to come to see them, while others are never spoken to except by the poor: Some have more to do with little children than with older people, and others again will hardly take any notice of children. But Jesus receives and blesses all who come.
He loves His little ones to teach,
And put His truth within their reach,
And not the weakest e’er can say,
“I came, but I was sent away.”
You will remember that when the “mothers of Salem” brought their little ones to Jesus, and the disciples were driving them away, Jesus would not have them sent away. He was “much displeased” with them, and as good as said, “You mustn’t drive them away; I am very glad for them to come, and you must let them come.” And then at the end of the same chapter (Mark 10) there was a poor man wanted Jesus to cure him, and he called out to Him, but the people told him to be quiet, as if Jesus would not have anything to do with him. But He would, and He did not let the crowd hurry Him on, or keep poor Bartimeus away, for He stopped still in the road, and had him brought to Him. And you may come to Him, dear little child: it is not His will that keeps you away. He says (John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37)), “If any man (any one) thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” And again, in the last chapter in Revelation, “Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” We cannot know God, or be happy with God, until we have this new life; but God gives it freely to all who come to Him by faith. Do not say it is not for you. It is for you, dear child, however young and feeble you may be, if you will only come as a thirsty one to the Lord Jesus, as this little boy comes to the fountain, to drink, without paying for it, of water provided for him by the kindness of another.
They are both drinking, you see, for both may drink, even if the man were bigger and the boy smaller than he is; because the fountain was opened there for all who thirst and come. But there is another thing about it I may say to you; both of them must drink, if both are to be satisfied. The little boy cannot drink for the grown-up man, nor could he drink for the little boy. If he were to drink all day, it would not make the boy a bit less thirsty, would it? And so, my little friends, you must come to Jesus for yourself. Many others have done so, and have been made happy forever in knowing Jesus. Perhaps your dear father and mother are Christians, but that will not save you. There are many things we can do for one another, as going on errands, and such like; but we cannot eat and drink for one another, nor can we believe in the Lord Jesus for one another. And I am sure it would grieve you very much if, when Jesus comes presently (as He will), He were to take your dear parents home to be with Himself, and leave you behind. He might say, “Well, little boy (or girl), you were satisfied for your father to believe for you, and you never came to me yourself, and now you must be content for him to come to heaven for you, and you stay behind!” But no, my child, that will not do at all. Ask yourself alone and in the presence of God, “Am I one of the Lord’s little ones? Have I been to Him myself about my own sins, and confessed them to Him, and had them all forgiven? If not, do not delay another moment, but go to Him at once, as you would to a fountain if you were dying of thirst, and drink for yourself. Tell Him you know yourself a great sinner, to have grieved Him and turned away from Him so long, and ask Him to make you to know Himself. The more you know of Him, the more happy you will be, and the more you will long to see Him face to face, the more you will find out that He is worth loving with all your heart, and living for all your life, and He will fill your heart, which not all in this world could ever do. This man at the fountain has had to be drinking every day since before he was as old as the little boy, and he is not satisfied yet, but will have to keep on doing the same as long as he is in this world, for “he that drinketh of this water shall thirst again.” But the heart that truly knows Jesus says, “Now I have found one who satisfies me. He is perfect every way. I shall love to go on forever and ever learning all about Him but I want no one better, not even in heaven, and I know Him now!” And he that drinketh of the water that Jesus gives shall not thirst again forever. Come to Him yourself, dear child, and you will find it all true, and far more than I can tell you with pen and ink.
W. TY.