MANY years ago you might have seen a young girl seated beside an elderly lady in a carriage. The lady was a great invalid, was taking her usual drive, and had invited the child to go too. As they drove through the lonely lanes, the lady closed her eyes as she often did, and her little companion thinking her to be asleep went on with her own thoughts. Suddenly she seemed to hear a strange voice in her ear that said, “Now, E―, if you were asked how you know you are saved, what would you say?” It felt to her like the voice of the tempter. This startled her. She was the child of believing parents, and had grown up in the atmosphere of Bible truths, but perhaps she had not hitherto had to do with God very definitely for herself. This moment must come sooner or later to everyone who is to possess the happy assurance of “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That little maiden, who was a captive in the foreign city, had been brought up to know God, but when she spoke of Him and His servant to her mistress as known to herself, she probably experienced a fuller and deeper peace than she had known before.
Before E—had time to reply to the voice that seemed to suggest a doubt to her, she was still more startled to see the lady open her eyes and look at her, and to hear her say, “E—, if you were asked how you know you are saved, what would you say?” Like a flash the answer came to her mind, and she replied, “It says, ‘He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life’ (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)), and I believe.” That was all right, for “the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that BELIEVE” (Gal. 3:2222But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Galatians 3:22)).
We ought to be “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us” (1 Peter 3:1515But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15)). We are told that Timothy “from a child” had “known the Holy Scriptures,” and it is they that are able to make us wise unto salvation. But he may have grown up without being able to say exactly when he was converted, and many children of believers find themselves in the same case. Let none be discouraged thereby. The point most important is, not when was I converted, but where, or in Whom am I putting my trust? If Christ be all my salvation, then it is well. If such is the case, the time is sure to come, as it did with E― that day, when the soul finds itself in God’s presence, and realizes, perhaps for the first time, that it has “passed from death unto life.” E—was brought to this point by finding that the tempter was trying to cast a doubt on her salvation. This is just like the devil; he always opposes Christ and His work in a soul.
When Israel came out of Egypt they were met by Amalek. He wanted to prevent their entering into what God had promised. So there was fighting. Moses was upon the top of a hill, and perhaps out of sight of the armies of Israel, and yet all depended on what he did. When he held up his hands Israel prevailed, otherwise Amalek would have been victorious. Not to go into detail (read Ex. 17:8-168Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:8‑16)), “Moses’ hands were steady until the going down of the sun,” and Amalek was defeated. Did you ever think of the hands of our Moses, the blessed Lord Jesus, in heaven now? His hands are steady, He is holding up those hands that were pierced for us always. We do not see Him (except by faith), but God does, and Satan does. Satan cannot touch us as long as those hands are there, and God will not condemn us because it is “Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:3434Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)). So if the devil tempts, let us think of those hands; if our faith falters, let us look up and remember that God is looking at Jesus, and take courage. Then we shall be “more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.”
H. L. H.