A YOUNG man, the son of a farmer, was one day passing along a country road all alone. He knew nothing of Jesus, and, what was worse, he did not want to know Him. He had been spoken to about Christ, but he would not hear, for he “loved the world, and the things that are in the world,” and so did not wish to come to Jesus. Well, as he was going along the road, he heard a voice near at hand. There was, just by the roadside, a deep dell or pit, surrounded by a dense growth of underwood, and the voice he heard seemed to come from this dell. It sounded like one reading or praying aloud, and he stopped to listen. No other sound broke the stillness, and he could clearly hear every word that was spoken. You may guess how surprised he was when presently he heard his own name pronounced, and, peeping down through the branches of the trees, saw his own brother on his knees, pleading earnestly with God for his conversion. His brother was a believer, and had often tried to persuade him to turn to Jesus, but only to meet with anger and scorn. And now this dear brother had sought out this lonely spot, where, as he had thought, no eye but God’s would see him, and no other ear would hear his supplications, and there, all alone in the wilderness with the Lord, able, like Hagar of old, to say, “Thou God seest me,” lie pleaded for his brother.
“God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;”
and, just when this dear child of God was crying to his Father in Heaven, He led the one for whom he prayed to the very spot.
As the poor young man listened to his brother’s earnest supplications, he became fixed to the place, while the other, thinking he was all alone with God told out all his heart, and poured out his complaint in the ears of that gracious One who is never weary of listening to the wants and sorrows of His own. No, never! He knows all about them, “knoweth what things we have need of before we ask Him;” but He loves our confidence, and delights to have us tell Him all. Well, this believer told Him all his sorrow about his brother, and how he wished him to be brought to Jesus; and as the other listened, his brother’s love touched his heart. There he stood among the trees on the edge of the wooded dell, listening as word after word fell upon his ear, and went like an arrow to his soul. Before he left that never-to-be-forgotten spot, God had begun His gracious work in his heart, and very soon the brother who had prayed so earnestly for his conversion, had the joy of seeing him a saved sinner, saved by the precious blood of Christ which “cleanseth from all sin.” God says so. Do you believe Him? and, if you do, will you not pray for those you love, and try to set Christ before them in word and deed?
J. L. K.