PETER WAS an old sailor. A ship in which he once sailed was struck by lightning, and one of his mates was killed. It sobered Peter. “It made me think,” he said, “of the Judgment Day.”
“I want to find the Pilot that can weather me through that storm,” said Peter. “It’s scary business, mates, to find us on a windy shore there, with the rocks of our sins right alongside, and hell yawning not far off.”
Peter took to his Bible. He did not make much headway until he came into port, and then he went straight to a place where he heard the gospel was to be preached.
“I want to find the good Pilot,” said Peter to the preacher after the service was over.
“The Lord Jesus is the only Pilot who can be of service to you just now, my dear friend,” said the spear, “and He’s near to every poor sinner that calls upon Him.”
“I’m one of them,” said Peter, the tears streaming down his sunburned cheeks, “and I want to ship in His service. I’m pretty near waterlogged in my sins; I haven’t any chart, compass or anchor, and I’m drifting on to judgment. I want the Pilot who went to the fishing boat on Galilee and said to those sailors, ‘It is I; be not afraid.’ How shall I get to Him?”
All the people who had come to the preaching had left the hall except Peter, and he was left alone with the preacher. The old sailor was really anxious to get rid of his load of sins; He really felt himself a guilty sinner before God, and he wanted salvation; he wanted to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. The servant of Christ gladly told him the old, old story of what Jesus had done to save poor sinners. Peter was glad to hear it and by grace he was able then and there to accept Jesus as his Saviour with praise and thanksgiving.
Some people say you cannot be saved in such a short time: that you must pray a good while, and then come to God. But does God want “improved people,” or “good people"? No, it is the bad He wants. The Lord Jesus came “not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:1717When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mark 2:17).
God saves sinners, young and old, it matters not. “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.” 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). Then take your place as a guilty sinner before Him, and you will be saved. “Turn, sinner; turn, my young friend,” and God will forgive and receive you. He will make you one of His children and save you from the dreadful consequences of your sins by the blood of Jesus who died, “the just for the unjust,” that He might bring us to God. This is what the repentant thief did, and he had time to do no more.
After Peter got saved he would say to his mates, with his Bible in hand, “Don’t put it off, boys, you know you are sinners, and eternity is near—the judgment will soon sit, and you are in awful danger.”
“I must take time to think of it,” said one.
“To think of what? Whether you are a sinner?” cried Peter. “You know you are. Whether you’ll be lost if you die as you are? You know you will. Whether the Lord Jesus will save you? You know He can There’s breakers ahead; your anchors won’t hold you. Don’t put it off!”
“I’m not so bad as you think I’m not so bad as others,” said another.
“But you are bad enough,” ex claimed old Peter. “The best sinner on earth is too bad for the presence of God. You are drifting — you know where. You will soon be on the rocks, and would to God you would cry out now, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ The storm is coming! Hail the great Pilot. Don’t put it off!”
Old Peter loved the young people. “Bless God that you are young,” he used to say. " ‘They that seek Me early shall find Me.’ The great Captain of our salvation loves the young. Enter His service, boys. Then your rudder will never snap; you’ll never drag your anchor; the devil’s craft will never run into you. Ship in His service, boys; and don’t put it off!”
ML-10/18/1970