TOM WAS just a young boy, full of energy and ambition and without a thought of death or the needs of his soul. Having heard the story of a lady who was saved in the last moments of her life, he thought that he could safely leave the matter of his soul's welfare until his deathbed. Then he would cry for mercy, as the poor woman had done, and all would be well. So his mind was made up. He would live a respectable life, but do as he pleased, enjoy whatever pleasures came his way, and get right with God at the end.
The years passed. Tom grew up and joined the army. He was sent abroad, and there lived a careless, godless life. One day when hunting with friends in the jungle, he got wet through in a tropical storm, and on returning to his quarters became seriously ill. The army surgeon was a friend of his, and as he stood at the bed-side looking grave, Tom asked him for a frank opinion. The doctor replied reluctantly, "The fact is that you are so ill, that unless within the next hour you take a definite turn for the better, you are not likely to live through the day."
Poor Tom asked to be left alone. He noted the precise time by his watch, and said to himself, "Now the time has come when I must cry for mercy." He lay back for a few minutes to collect his thoughts, and was startled to find that a quarter of an hour had slipped away.
His thoughts went to those he loved in the home country. What were they doing just then, and what would they say when they heard of his death? He looked at his watch again?
Only twenty minutes left!
In distress he now tried to think of words to form his cry for mercy, but in vain. In horror he realized at last that he was too ill to concentrate his thoughts.
What, only three minutes left? With a struggle he managed to get on his knees, and began the Lord's Prayer. "Our Father, which art —". He could get no further; he was too weak to recall what words came next. He fell back upon the bed; it was too late for him to cry for mercy.
In God's goodness, Tom did not die then, but recovered enough to return home. Being persuaded to attend a village mission service taken by his cousin, he heard the clear message, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). At once it flashed into his mind, "How foolish to delay," and on the spot he turned to Christ and received at once the forgiveness of all his sins, and God's gift of eternal life.
Reader, if not yet really saved, will you turn to the Lord now? The days and weeks follow one another, birthdays come and go, one year grows old and a new year dawns. But for each of us time must sooner or later cease, and eternity begin. God's Word says quite simply,
Messages of the Love of God 3/21975