Two young soldiers were talking together in one of the field hospital tents. The younger of the two, little more than a boy, was mortally wounded and lay all comfortless and weary in his blood-stained uniform. His friend, who was a Christian, knelt by his side, trying to cheer and soothe his suffering companion by reading portions of the New Testament.
“Can I read a little more to you, Davie? It’s a comfort in the dying hour, you know,” said the Christian soldier.
Davie nodded faintly, and Jim went on reading from the eleventh chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Soon he came to the twenty-eighth verse and read over slowly and gently the words: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
“Stop, Jim,” said Davie. “These words were never meant for me. You know I have been God’s enemy all my life, and I have fought hard against Him. These words can never be meant for me. No, no! I’ve been His enemy-they cannot be meant for me.”
“Enemy or not, I tell you, Davie, God speaks these words to you. His enemy you may have been-I was once-but here God offers you His terms of peace.”
“Terms of peace, Jim, did you say?” muttered the dying man. “Terms of peace? Let me hear them again.”
Davie’s face changed, and raising himself partly on his cot, he clasped his hands and looked up to heaven, saying, “I accept the terms! I accept the terms! O Christ of God, I surrender to Thee!” He sank back exhausted.
A little longer he lingered on, conscious enough at times to whisper, “Thank God, at peace! At peace!” There, amid the horrors of war, within a few hours of eternity, he accepted God’s terms of peace, surrendered himself to Christ, and was freely pardoned.
How much easier for you who are in health, enjoying the comforts of home, to do the same. God’s terms of peace are just the same to you today and now as they were to that young soldier on the far-off field of war. Will you accept them now, or will you pass on to the judgment of God, unprepared and unpardoned?