Oswald was a boy who worked for a wealthy Christian doctor. During morning prayers, when the family and servants gathered together in the large dining room, he had often heard the doctor read words about the coming again of the Lord Jesus. However, Oswald did not understand much about what was said, for while his master was explaining these things, he was generally thinking about football or some other sport.
One day the kind doctor called Oswald into his study and began to talk to him about the Lord Jesus. He explained how the Saviour had come to die for all, and how each one might be saved by trusting in Him, but it must be a personal thing. Each one must be able to say, “The Son of God... loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).)
The doctor ended his talk by saying, “The Lord Jesus is coming back perhaps very soon. When He comes, you may have my house, Oswald, and my car, my furniture and all my money.” The boy looked very much surprised.
“Thank you—thank you, Sir,” stammered Oswald, so surprised that he hardly knew what to say.
“You see, I’ll not need them,” went on the doctor. “I shall be safe with the Lord Jesus, for I love Him, and have taken Him as my own Saviour. But you have not; you will be left to face all the terrible things that are going to happen on the earth.”
Oswald returned to his room and, alone in bed, he began to think of all that the doctor had said.
“If the doctor goes to be with the Lord Jesus,” he reasoned to himself, “what will I do with his house, his car and all the other things? Where will I be? I wish I was ready to go with the Lord Jesus like he is! I would rather be safe with Him than have all these things and be left behind.”
Poor Oswald could not sleep that night. At last he could bear it no longer, and getting out of bed he crept downstairs and knocked at the door’s door. The doctor was surprised to see who was there.
“Oh, Sir,” cried Oswald, “please will you tell me how I can be ready when the Lord Jesus comes? I don’t want those things you offered me.”
The doctor gladly told him again the simple gospel story and asked him if he would not then and there ask the Saviour to come into his heart. Oswald was glad to receive Him now, and that night he passed from death to life. From then on he, too, could say, “I am ready to meet Jesus when He comes.”
ML-12/26/1976