Jeannie loved to hear stories, And Mother loved to tell stories, so they spent many happy times together with that best of all books, the Bible. It was Saturday night, and little Jeannie had time for just one more story before she went to bed. Mother opened the Bible, and Jeannie curled up on her lap to listen. Now many grown-up folks don’t bother to read the book of Revelation for they think it is too hard to understand. But Mother opened at the twenty-second chapter and began to read.
“And He spewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
And as each verse was read, the picture of that beautiful city grew more and more glorious to the little listening child, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign forever and ever.”
Jeannie sat breathlessly, with clasped hands, as her little mind pictured that wondrous and eternal home.
“Beheld, I come quickly.”
She looked out the window as if expecting Jesus to come right away.
Suddenly Mother read, “For without ...” Jeannie listened to the awful list. “And whosoever loveth and math a lie.”
“Oh, Mother!”, exclaimed the little one as she jumped to her feet. “I shall be left outside, for I know I have told more than one lie.” Poor little Jeannie burst into tears.
“Yes, my dear, it is true that nothing that defileth will ever be allowed to enter that beautiful home, and if you have just one little sin on your heart, you will be left outside.”
“What shall I do, Mother? Do you think Jesus might forgive me?”
Very tenderly the mother told little Jeannie again the wondrous story of the Lord Jesus who bore our own guilty sins and took all their punishment. “And here, Jeannie, is a verse that will answer your question. Let us read 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7). ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.’”
At once the truth dawned upon the little heart and she slipped to her knees and thanked Jesus for dying to wash away the stain of her sins. Jeannie was cleansed from all sins and ready to enter that beautiful city. Are you ready too?
ML 03/08/1953