ELIZA’S father and mother were both dead, but God provided for the orphan, and He is a Father to the fatherless. He put it into the heart of a kind lady to take Eliza to her own house to care for her, and she had looked to the Lord that Eliza might be brought to know Jesus as her Saviour, and she expected an answer to her prayer.
The child, when she came, was altogether ignorant of the meaning of God’s Word, but as she was tolerably well acquainted with the letter, she knew, as a matter of history, that Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth; that He died upon the cross, and that after three days He rose again, and went up to God’s right hand in heaven. The little teaching, she had received was like laying the fire overnight, ready for kindling in the morning, and none can tell when the flame of Divine love may be lighted in the soul. But this we know, when once alight, it shall never be put out. But while the fire was laid in her heart, there was neither light nor heat. A heart-belief in Jesus who loved her soul; in Jesus who shed His blood for her sake to wash her sins away—this was the light and the heat—this she lacked.
You see, dear children, the difference between knowing about God in your head, and believing in your heart.
“Thou believest that there is one God;” says the Scripture, “thou doest well; the devils also believe and tremble.” (Jas. 2:1919Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19).)
But of the heart-belief we read, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” (Rom. 10: 9,10.)
The lady occasionally read portions of Scripture with Eliza, and she saw with thankfulness that the little girl did, by degrees, begin to understand in her heart. Before long the child saw her own sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. She had discovered that when the lady knelt down and prayed to the Lord Jesus in heaven to make the little orphan love Him, it was indeed to a living Person she spoke, and to One who heard the cry of those who call upon Him.
It happened one morning that the 53rd chapter of Isaiah was chosen to be- read, and as Eliza read each word slowly, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed,” the expression of her face changed, and was lighted up with faith, as she exclaimed, “I see it all quite clearly. He—me; His wounds—my sins!” She believed it was indeed so, that Jesus was bruised for her sins, upon the cross, and that God had laid her sins upon His Son.
The love of Jesus now filled her youthful heart, and she could sing, “Jesus is mine.” Henceforth in her simplicity, she referred each trouble and difficulty to the Lord, Himself.
One day, when dusting a room, which was part of her duty, it came into her heart to hurry through the work.
“Don’t do it properly, your mistress won’t see,” something said.
“But Jesus is watching me,” she mentally replied, “and He will help me to do what is right”; and she said to the tempter, “I will not listen to you.”
It was not merely by saying that she believed in Jesus that little Eliza proved herself to be a Christian, but it was evidenced in all her behavior.
ML 12/02/1917