A FRIEND of mine, saw one day a large crowd of men and women, boys and girls—some tall, some short, some clean, and some dirty—gathered in front of a large public building, upon the steps of which a man was standing, and giving a loaf of bread to each person who stepped forward to receive the gift.
A sum of money had been given by a gentleman to be spent in purchasing bread to be given to the people of the town, and it mattered not who came—whether little or big, young or old—every one might get a loaf of bread for nothing. There was enough for all.
You may be quite sure that very, very many took advantage of this kind provision, and eagerly pressed forward to obtain the welcome food.
We can imagine how glad the poor, hungry boys and girls, and men and women were.
When my friend told me of this. I could but think of the wonderful provision which God has made for poor, hungry, perishing sinners. He has provided salvation for all who come. There is nothing to pay and nothing to do, but simply to take a full and free salvation— “without money and without price.”
To purchase the food for the people, money had been given by the gentleman, as I have told you—for of course, the loaves had to be paid for by someone.
To purchase salvation for sinners, the Lord Jesus, who was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich; and the blessed God in His great love did not spare the very best gift—the most costly and precious One, even His own Son, whom He loved so much.
He it is who was delivered to death. His precious blood was shed. But now He is risen again, and all the price having been paid, God is giving that wondrous gift, eternal life, to all who come.
There were many people in that crowd who did not obtain a loaf. They were rich and well-to-do, and did not need the free gift. Not so those in the great crowd of “sinners.” God says, “have sinned" —none are rich enough to buy the salvation they need. Indeed, God will not sell. He is rich, and gives.
Many do not think they need this free gift, and they neglect this great salvation —frittering away the last hours of this day of God’s grace—careless and thoughtless about their precious souls, until at last, dying in their sins, they are cast into hell, never, never more to hear of God’s wonderful gift.
Have you received His gift yet, my little reader?
Coming is believing. Jesus says, “He that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.”
Are you hungering and thirsting? If so, come now, and what a dear girl once wrote to me you will find true: “There was never yet a poor sinner turned away empty.”
“To give us assurance, Christ rose from the dead;
Redemption is finished, the price has been paid;
All the work has been done—all who trust in the Son
Are saved thro’ the blood of the Crucified One.”
ML-04/18/1920