A Swedish sailor attended a noonday prayer meeting in New York. When the meeting was opened, our Swedish friend, the sailor, stood up to say a few words. He was not in the habit of speaking in public, nor could he speak English very well; but he said he wanted to tell what Jesus had done for his soul.
"Once, on a long voyage," said he, "Jesus by His blessed Spirit showed me that I was a great sinner. Then my heart was full of sorrow. I said to myself. 'What must I do to be saved?'
But there was no one near to tell me what to do. I was thinking about my sins all the time, and was in great distress.
"One dark night I was standing at the wheel steering the ship, when I thought of Jesus. I tried to remember all that I had heard about Him, and lifted up my heart in prayer to Him for help. All at once it seemed as if Jesus heard my prayer, and met me at the wheel. He spoke sweet words of love and mercy. As I stood at the wheel in the middle of that dark night, I heard Him whispering to me words like these:
" 'Come to Me, weary, burdened one,
I will give you rest;
I cast none out who come to Me;
I am meek, and lowly of heart;
learn of Me; take My yoke—it is easy;
take My burden—My grace will make it light!'
"There at the wheel, in the dark and stormy night, Jesus came to me; He showed me how willing He is to receive poor sinners. I love Him because He first loved me. I cannot speak your language very well; but Jesus understands me, and I understand Him. And ever since I met Him at the wheel as the poor sinner's Friend, I want to tell everybody how willing the Lord Jesus is to save."
Yes, our Swedish sailor friend was right. The Lord Jesus is both willing and able to save. But we must first feel our need of Him. We must realize that we are but lost, guilty sinners, "having no hope, and without God in the world." Eph. 2:1212That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12). We can never be saved except we first realize we are lost. Nor can we save ourselves, for there is nothing we can do to merit God's salvation. Our best efforts are in vain. In His sight "we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6).
It is when a poor sinner finds that his case is hopeless and cries to God for mercy, that the Lord Jesus draws near with words of love and peace. "For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption," and He will redeem the sinner from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130:7, 87Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130:7‑8).) Dear young reader, have you ever realized your need of this Saviour and experienced His saving power?
Messages of the Love of God 10/5/1958