YEARS AGO a gentleman was going home one dark wet night. On the way he had to pass the toll-gate near his house. When he arrived at the gate he found it closed. So he shouted out with all his might to the man in the toll-house to open the gate, and a sleepy voice replied, “Coming, sir!”
After waiting a few minutes in the rain he called out again to the man, and he heard him say as before, “Coming, sir!” The rain was soaking him through, but the man did not come. Again and again he shouted and got the same sleepy reply, “Coming, sir!”
At last he opened the toll-house door. What was his surprise to find the old man asleep by the stove! So he gave him a good shaking, and the old man woke up, rubbed his eyes and looked so astonished.
“Why did you keep me waiting all this time in the rain? You answered me and kept saying, ‘Coming, sir!’ But you never came!”
“Did I, sir? I am very sorry, but I get so used to saying, ‘Coming’ that I must have said it in my sleep!”
How many are like the old man when it comes to the question of their soul’s salvation. The Lord Jesus calls not only once, but twice, and perhaps often. Still they sleep on. Then the Lord has to send a great shaking to wake them up to their danger of going on unsaved and meeting God in their sins.
Let every dear reader come to the Saviour without a moment’s delay. It is a solemn, and ofttimes fatal, thing to put Him off even though you intend to be saved. Open the door of your heart when He knocks, for He may go away and never come back again. Then your hope of salvation will be gone forever.
ML-08/18/1963