WHAT is your greatest wish, Gracie?” asked Agnes, as her little friend tripped along clinging to her arm.
“Well,” began Gracie, “I should like to be very rich, and live in a grand house like that,” pointing, as she spoke, to “The Hall,” which stood on the hill surrounded by tall, ancestral trees; “and of course,” she continued, tossing back her long fair ringlets, “I should like to be very beautiful, and I should like a white pony all of my own to ride on, and pretty dresses to wear, and—and—be the queen!”
Agnes laughed very much at this vain, fanciful wish, but she did not tell Gracie what hers was, though she afterwards wished she had done so, for she had learned that nothing in this world can satisfy, and that in Christ alone all true happiness is found.
Soon after, Agnes left the town where Gracie lived, and did not see her again for two years; but during that time she heard from her little friend that she had believed on the Lord Jesus, and when she went there on a visit they had many nice talks together about Him. One day Agnes remembering Gracie’s former foolish wish, said:
“Gracie, if you tell me your greatest wish, I’ll tell you mine.”
“To live in heaven, because I shall be with Jesus there,” was Gracie’s answer.
“And mine is for His coming!” said Agnes, “and our wishes will be realized, for ours is a ‘sure and certain hope.’”
How glad she was to find how Gracie’s wish had changed since she had known the Lord. It showed she had learned of Him, did it not?
Now, if I were to ask you your greatest wish, I wonder what your answer would be? Are you building hopes on all sorts of earthly pleasures, or have you found out that they do not give lasting happiness’ Your childhood’s games and pleasures will soon be over, for
“Childhood’s years are passing o’er you; Youthful days will soon be done.”
O! dear little one, put your whole trust in that gentle Jesus, who took the children up in His arms. Then He will carry His own blood-bought lamb safely and happily through whate’er betide in this scene of change and disappointment.
“We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us.” Titus 2:12-1412Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:12‑14).
ML 01/20/1918