There are moments in the history of certain places, as well as souls, when God comes very nigh unto them. Such was the case in the town of L—some years ago, when a wave of gospel blessing rolled over the inhabitants thereof. God's Spirit was working blessedly, and in some streets there was scarce a house that grace did, not visit and save some therein. In some cases whole households were converted. The gospel meetings, held in large halls, were crowded with attentive listeners, anxious inquirers, and rejoicing believers, many of them but lately saved. Truly they were blessed moments—"times of refreshing"—such as one longs and prays to see again.
Among my auditors, one Lord's Day evening, I observed a young woman deeply affected as the preaching went on. The story of the Savior's love, of the value of His blood, and of God's desire for man's salvation, completely captured her soul, and tears flowed freely as she eagerly heard the Word. An "after-meeting" being announced, I observed that she kept her seat; so at a fitting moment I drew near and got into conversation with her. She was still weeping profusely, but no look of anxiety was on her face. Inquiring of her why she so wept, she replied, "Oh, I can't help it, after what I have seen tonight.”
"And what have you seen tonight—yourself a lost sinner, and Jesus a living, loving Savior?”
"Yes, that is just it. I never saw things before as I see them tonight.”
"Then the Spirit of God has shown you yourself tonight as an utterly lost, ungodly sinner in God's sight?”
"Yes, I see that most clearly. I've seen that I am utterly helpless and lost," and here the tears rolled faster than ever.
"And what else have you seen?”
"I have seen that Jesus loves me, a poor, wicked sinner; and that He gave Himself for me, and died for me on the cross, bearing my sins and God's judgment of them.”
"That is a blessed thing to have learned. And now, tell me, how many of your sins did Jesus bear on the cross?”
"I believe He bore them all, every one of them," she replied.
"And how many of them did He blot out from God's sight, by His precious blood, when He so hung on the cross?”
"Good. That is faith. And if He died for them all, and blotted them all out when He shed His precious blood for you on the tree, how many do you suppose He forgives you tonight, now that you believe in Him?”
"I believe He forgives them all, every one," she replied, with a fresh flood of tears, which had, however, the manifest appearance of tears of joy, as indeed they were.
"Quite right, my dear friend," I rejoined; "you have a divine warrant for knowing that. To a poor sinner, weeping at His feet, the blessed Savior once said, 'Thy sins are forgiven; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace;' and He says the same now to you, depend upon it. Of all who trust in Him it is truly written: 'In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace' (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)). And, if I understand you aright, you are now, for the first time in your life, assured that your sins are all blotted out, and forgiven through the finished work and present grace of the Savior?”
"Yes, thank God, I am quite sure about it now," she replied, and her face, radiant with joy, bespoke the inward sense of the Lord's forgiving love.
"That is an immense mercy; and now that the Lord Jesus has so greatly blessed you, may I ask how much of your heart are you going to give to Him?”
"I couldn't give Him any," was her sincere and simple, but nevertheless, to me astounding answer.
"Couldn't give Him any?" I replied in amazement. "What can you mean? Here you sit and tell me that, for the first time in your life, you have learned that Jesus has borne all your sins on the cross, sustained all the judgment due to them and you, blotted them all out, and forgiven them all this night; and then you add that you `couldn't give Him any' of that heart of yours that should be His, entirely His, henceforth.”
"I have none left to give," was her quiet reply. "HE STOLE IT AWAY IN THE MEETING.”
"Ah! I see what you mean, now. He won your love by the revelation of His own.”
"Just so. While you were speaking tonight of Him and His love in dying for such as me, before I knew it I was drawn to Him, and my heart is His, not mine, henceforth.”
Reader, has your heart yet been stolen? With all my heart I wish you true happiness. Would you have a sure recipe for it? Taste the love of His heart "the love of Christ that passeth knowledge" and let Him, in return, simply and unreservedly, have the love of yours, and you will be truly happy. For "blessed are all they that put their trust in Him," and each such one may add: "Thou wilt show me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)).