The children were all looking up so attentively as I spoke to them of the love of God, and of the precious blood of Jesus. But Nancy was more attentive than any one else, so when the meeting was over, I spoke to her.
“Nancy, do you know the Lord Jesus?”
She looked up with a bright smile and answered,
“Yes, at least I know that Jesus died for me.”
“I am so glad you know that, but how can you be so very sure that the Son of God came down into the world and died on the cross for a little child like you?”
“God says He died for sinners, and I am a great sinner,” she said very solemnly.
“Yes, Nancy, it is written in God’s blessed Word, ‘God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ And again, ‘This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.’ He has shown you what a sinner you are, and now you see what God has said, so your sins are all forgiven.”
For a moment there was no answer, and the tears filled her eyes. At last she said, “I am afraid not.”
“What!” I said. “Can it be possible that you know that Jesus died for you, and yet do not know you are forgiven?”
She looked up with an expression of deep anxiety, as though she would find out what I meant. Like many, she had truly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, but she did not know what His work had done for her. She had been attracted to Jesus and her heart had opened to His love. But she had yet to hear Him say to her, “Thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace, thy faith hath saved thee.”
So I asked, “Why did the Lord Jesus die for you?”
“To save me,” was her prompt reply.
“But why must He have died to save you?”
She thought a moment and said, “Because He bore my sins on the cross.”
“Where were your sins when Jesus hung on the cross?”
“On Him.”
“Yes, for ‘the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ And where are they now?”
She almost said, “On Him still,” but checked herself, and was silent.
“Think of where He is now,” I said. She answered at once, “He has risen and gone into heaven.”
“Then where are your sins?”
“They must be gone,” was the dear child’s happy answer.
Her difficulty was gone now. She saw that He who was delivered for her offenses had been raised again for her justification, and she had peace.
After a little further talk with her, she was called away. On reaching her home she ran to her mother, a fine Christian woman, and threw her arms around her neck, saying, “I shall go to be with Jesus too, Mother.”
Her mother was startled, and wanted to know what it all meant.
“My sins are all gone. Jesus, who bore them on the cross, is now at the right hand of God, and don’t you see, Mother, they could not be on Him there.”
The mother and child, now more dear to one another than ever, rejoiced and praised the Lord together. Years have passed since then, and the risen Christ at the right hand of God has been the ground of peace for her—a peace that never could be disturbed.
ML 08/15/1954