How good it would be if He came tonight!”
These words fell on Ellen’s ears as she looked up from the book she was reading.
“If who came tonight? Are we to have a visitor?” thought Ellen.
Her curiosity was aroused, and as she listened, she found it was the Lord Jesus her two friends were talking about. Quick as thought the answer rose in her mind, “O, no! it would not be good if He came tonight, for I am not ready to meet Him.”
Right well she knew that the Lord Jesus was coming back again, and that only those who were washed in His precious blood—whose sins were forgiven would go with Him, and that those who were not ready would be left behind for judgment.
But “Coming tonight”—somehow Ellen hadn’t even thought that possible. And as for death, was she not young, and well, and likely to live a great many years yet? She believed what Satan said:
“There was plenty of time yet.”
After thinking over it a few moments, she turned to the book she had before thought so interesting, to find that it had now lost its charm, and in her ears were ringing the words,
“Coming tonight; coming tonight.”
Days and weeks passed, and instead of getting rid of the feeling, she was awakened to see the danger she was in.
“I’m not any worse than other girls, and a great deal better than some; I really mean to be saved some day.” These were thoughts which came into her head. But many a night she lay awake, unable to go to sleep lest the Lord Jesus should come, and she should be left behind.
One Sunday evening she went to a Gospel meeting. On previous occasions she was glad when the preaching was over. Tonight however, she listened to every word. At the close of the meeting a gentleman said to her,
“Do you know the Lord Jesus?” Ellen could not answer.
Then he took up the Bible Ellen had been reading so diligently during the past months, and turning to Isaiah 53, made it personal, reading thus,
“He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon Him, and by His stripes I am healed.”
That night Ellen learned that the Lord Jesus had died for her, but yet she could not say that she was saved. She tried to feel saved, before she had learned to know it.
She was hoping and doubting, until she almost despaired of ever knowing the peace she longed for. At length, in despair, she shut herself in her room, and falling down on her knees, told Jesus everything, how she had tried to make herself better, and how she had failed, and that if He would just take her as she was, she would give herself to Him.
As she knelt there in the deep consciousness of being in the very presence of God, the words came into her mind,
Ellen accepted the Lord Jesus just as she was, and O, what peace and happiness filled her heart.
Thus Jesus speaks: who makes reply, “O, Lord, I come to Thee;
Thy precious love hath won my heart, Thine henceforth I will be?”
ML 03/22/1931