Old John’s poverty was quite a business with him. He had no time to think about anything else. He had no time to read his Bible, or pray, or go to hear the gospel—he was too poor!
I have often met people who are too rich to think about the Lord Jesus. They are too busy with their fine homes and big cars to be interested in a gospel meeting—but John was too poor!
At last the Lord laid old John on his back, and it was there that I found him. Many of us had prayed for him, and again we prayed that the Lord might open his heart through his illness.
“John, believing in Jesus is having. It does not say ‘believe and hope’—it says ‘believe and have.’”
After a little more conversation, the riches of God’s grace began to unfold before the old man’s soul. He saw that the mercy of God was meant for him, a poor guilty sinner, just where he was. Right then and there, on his sick bed, old John closed his weary eyes, and thanked God for His wondrous grace in giving the Saviour to meet his need. He trusted the precious blood of Jesus and his sins were all washed away.
It was not long before John was well and at work again. But he seemed to forget all about his poverty. Though just as poor as ever, he didn’t fret over it, but sang happily at his work instead.
John’s cabin was small and old, and there was not much furniture in it either, but it was a joy to pass by and hear him singing, or to see him sitting on the front step reading his Bible. All his neighbors knew that John had found something more than gold. He delighted to tell them of what the love of God had done, and of how the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, his risen, living Saviour, had washed away his many sins.
ML 11/07/1954