RECENTLY while walking through the factory where I work I was stopped by Joe G. who told me the following interesting story.
He said: A wonderful thing happened not long ago. I had been visiting Bert H. in the hospital for some time and prayed that the Lord would give me an opportunity to speak to him about his soul, for I knew that he was not saved.
After several visits I still hadn’t spoken to Bert but continued to pray about it. Then one night, just as I entered the hospital room, I heard Bert say, “Thank God you’ve come, Joe, God has sent you.”
I said, “What do you mean, Bert?” Bert said: “I’ve been praying all day that God would send you to see me. I want to know what I have to do to be saved.”
I replied: “Bert, I shouldn’t have to tell you. Why, when you were in the shop you could quote verses from the Bible as well as I could.”
Joe paused here to tell me that, although Bert could quote verses from the Bible, he would scoff at them and say that he was all right the way he was.
“Yes, I know, Joe,” answered Bert, “but I don’t know how to be saved.”
“Well, Bert,” I said, “you know John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; and John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. Well, all you have to do is believe that, just like a little child.”
“Oh Joe,” said Bert, “is that all? And I’ve been stumbling over it for years. I do believe it, I do believe it.”
Joe went on to tell me that Bert was really saved for when he went back another night there were a number of Bert’s friends around his bed, and he told everyone that he wanted them to meet the man who had led him to the Lord.
Joe had many happy visits with Mr. H. and they read God’s Word together. Just five days before Mr. H. died, Joe dropped in to see him. Mr. H. took his hand and said, “Thank you, Joe, for introducing me to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.”
It was while Joe was on his vacation that Bert passed away and went to be with his Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who had died to save him.
Mr. H. left it a long time before he got saved for he was about 75 years old when he died. But you should not leave it a moment longer to take Jesus as your Saviour. None of us know how long we may be left here so it is most important to turn to the Lord Jesus for salvation from sin, through His precious blood, now.
ML-05/20/1962