He Gave Himself

IN a meeting specially held for the young, the speaker was anxious to find out how far the children felt that they really stood in need of the Lord Jesus. He asked the following question:
"Have you anything to give God, which will make you fit for heaven?"
There was a pause, when a little boy, named Willie, said,
"A good heart, sir."
"But have any of us good hearts as we were born?'' said the speaker.
Another dear little fellow quickly replied,
"No, sir, there is none good."
“Yes, my boys and girls, that is true; for God says in His Word,
‘There is none righteous, no, not one .. . there is none that doeth good, no, not one.’” Roni. 3:10, 12.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9).
He alone knows how bad we are. So you see, dear children, we have nothing to give to God. We have to cry out to Him, like David did in the eighty-sixth Psalm,
“I am poor and needy.”
Now, although we have nothing to give to God, He has something to give to us. I will tell you what a dear child once wrote in a letter, that you may see what she thought of God’s gift,
“What a precious and glorious truth that God loves us! Yes, I often think how much the Saviour loves us. He gave a most costly price to redeem us—not thousands of gold and silver; not labor and toil merely; not pains and suffering only—but Himself.” (1 Tim. 2:66Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:6); 1 Pet. 1:18, 1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19).)
Now can you say, “He loved me and gave Himself for me”? If not, may you be led at once to receive His Word:
“To as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the children of God, even to those who believe on His Name.” John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).
Little Willie learned, that he had nothing good to offer to God, but was led by the Holy Spirit to accept God’s gift through faith in His Word, and went home quite happy.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6 :23.
Messages of God’s Love 4/1/1934