CLOSE to Henry Johnson’s home was a pond. He and his elder brother, George, had made a raft, and they had quite some adventures floating about on it on the pond. One day during summer vacation, George had to go to the village nearby. He would be away for some time, and this gave Henry the chance he had so long waited for. He and George often quarreled about the raft because Henry always insisted on steering it.
Mrs. Johnson, the boys’ mother, was an invalid and confined to her bed. She was very nervous at the thought of her sons’ adventures on the pond. When Mrs. Johnson had heard that George had gone to town, she told her nurse to tell Henry that on no account was he to go out on the raft. But Henry was quite proud of himself and, sad to say, disobedient. He said to himself: “Mother doesn’t understand. As if a fellow of nine can’t take care of himself.
So off Henry went to the pond, and after considerable effort he managed to get the raft into the water. As he leaped on board it floated away and, losing his balance, he fell into the water almost up to his chin. With much difficulty he managed to scramble back onto the raft, but chilled by the cold water, he guided his craft to the bank again and ran home as fast he could. It was impossible to conceal from the nurse what had happened, for his dripping clothes told the tale. And he knew that when his mother learned of his disobedience she would be deeply grieved. Now he was miserable, and felt very sorry, because he loved his mother. How could he tell her, and obtain her forgiveness, as the nurse would not allow him into his mother’s room? Aer some time and much anxious thought, Henry made up his mind.
Getting a slate, he wrote on it: Dear Mother, I am sorry that I did what you told me not to. I went out on the raft on the pond and fell into the water. I am so unhappy because I disobeyed you. Will you forgive me? If you do, rub this out and send me back the slate again.”
Taking the slate to his mother’s door, Henry knocked. When the nurse opened the door Henry asked her to take the slate in to his mother. A few minutes later the nurse came back and handed him the slate.
Henry scarcely dared to look at it, but plucking up courage he did so, and found it wiped quite clean. Oh how relieved he was to know his dear mother had forgiven him, and he loved her more than ever.
We know from the Bible that “all have sinned,” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), and all sin is against God — every evil thought, word, and deed. But God can forgive, now that Jesus has died. If one rents and is sorry for his sins, he has only to go to God and tell Him so. God is gracious and ready to forgive, and the blood of Jesus wipes the slate all clean.
But God does much more than this. He takes the forgiven one into His family. He becomes a child of God by faith in His dear Sod, the Lord Jesus Christ. The sin question will never come up again, for He says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins.” Isa. 44:2222I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (Isaiah 44:22).
ML-07/05/1970