“W.13.” was, I think, the youngest son of a large family, the greater portion of whom had been “saved from the wrath to come,” through belief of the truth concerning the wondrous atoning death and blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Much prayer to God for the conversion of the dear lad had been made, and “to the praise of the glory of His grace” be it recorded, He heard the prayers of His people and He answered them.
A very young servant of the Lord, weak and in frail health, had walked a distance of 12 miles on a Lord’s day to preach “the Gospel of God, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord,” in the village of B.T. in South Devon, and came to the room where the preaching was to take place in a very tired and exhausted condition, feeling almost too far spent to be able to make known the glad tidings of redeeming love, that God in His mercy had made so dear to his heart.
But God had the glory of His Son, risen from the dead, before Him, and the salvation also of this dear soul; and so, in spite of human frailty and weakness, and in support of the precious words uttered by the glorified Christ to another of His servants, “My strength is made perfect in weakness,” He put forth the Almighty power of the Holy Spirit, and once and forever drew ‘W.B.’ “out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
The preacher read the solemn, but beautiful, story as recorded in Luke 10:30-3530And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. (Luke 10:30‑35). “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance, there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
“And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and, when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, ‘Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee’”; and as he proceeded to point out that this was a perfect description of every one who knew not Christ as their Saviour, dear “W.B.” felt himself to be in that state of wretchedness naked, wounded and dying; and as “a certain Samaritan” was presented as the type of the One and only Saviour, he longed for Him to save him and make him His.
And as the sweet and blessed gospel of God in sending down out of heaven no less a Person than the Son of His love, “to seek and to save that which was lost,” was unfolded, hot scalding tears of contrition fell from his eyes, and the Word being used by the Holy Ghost in saving power, he “passed from death unto life,” through faith in the Lord Jesus; “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter, 1:23).
The young preacher (who is now an old preacher of the gospel of God’s grace to sinners), after that memorable night, often had the company of dear “W.B.” when preaching in the district, and by life and testimony he commended to others the same blessed and perfect Saviour Who was so gracious and merciful to him.
Ponder for yourself, dear reader, the precious words in Luke 10:30-3530And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. (Luke 10:30‑35), and may God help you to see quite clearly that they apply to Christ and YOU.
“Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion” (Psalm 48:22Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Psalm 48:2)). And Jericho! Ah. Jericho! Was not that the city of the curse? “Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city, Jericho” (Joshua 6:2626And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26)). And this poor deluded one, in Luke 1026He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? (Luke 10:26), had turned his back on God and blessing, and was on the road to destruction!
Dear unsaved one, are not you on the same road?
But, oh, the wonderful truth is that although God came in Joshua’s day to Jericho in judgment, wonder of wonders, He has come in the Holy Person of His Son in these last days, in WONDROUS GRACE, “for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)).
Helpless, guilty and without strength, look to Jesus, weary, troubled one, put your faith in Him Who has all power given unto Him in heaven and in earth, and He will never let thee go for time or eternity.
H.C.M.