HOW true indeed are the words of the Psalmist concerning the wicked, “God is not in all his thoughts;” and how solemn is that warning in Ecclesiastes 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9), “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but knew thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.”
The following brief account gives an example of the wondrous care of God over one wandering far from Him, but, through grace, brought out of nature’s darkness into His marvelous light.
Few people perhaps, on looking over the past years of their lives, could be able to trace so many instances of preservation from what might have proved fatal accidents, as those that happened to a young man named C―. One of a large family, he was brought up carefully by a God-fearing mother, whose one object was the welfare of her children. When about thirteen years of age he heard that some of his brothers had been converted to God, but at the time little apprehended what it meant. It was only in after-years that he learned the meaning of these words, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3).
At the age of sixteen C—left school, where for ten years he had had every advantage in the way of a good education, and, above all, instruction in the Word of God. But notwithstanding this, restraint being removed, and with greater liberty for the exercise of self-will, C― was soon attracted by the allurements of the world, and only too readily availed himself of its pleasures. Early after leaving school it was arranged for him to go to a country town for two years to learn a business. Free now from the double restraint of school and parents, and drawn into the association of fast company, tastes soon developed for billiards, drinking, cards, smoking, &c., and many were the hours spent in these unprofitable occupations.
During the succeeding years many were the prayers offered up on C―’s behalf; and faithful warnings were constantly sent by letter and pamphlet, pointing out the sinner’s need of a Saviour, and how the Lord Jesus Christ had died to meet that need.
One day when C― was living in a town in the east of England, an arrangement was made for a party to take a boat for a sail along the coast to a neighboring town. An early start was made in order to secure the flowing tide for the return voyage. Reaching their destination, some of the party went ashore, and by delaying their return caused the boat to be very late in starting homewards. Night came on, and in the darkness the boat ran on to a sandbank some miles from the shore, and was only moved out of its dangerous position after great effort on the part of the sailors who had charge. After this things went well for a few hours, when suddenly, without warning, the boat bumped on to a stone-bank, placed artificially at the entrance to a river which there flowed into the sea. The party, gambling and drinking in the cabin, little thought of the danger they were in, and that had the tide been six inches lower the whole of them would probably have been launched into eternity.
Thus man goes on, regardless of God, and heeding not the words of His servants. Pause a moment, whoever you may be who read these few lines, and consider the One with whom you have to do. It may be that you would have shrunk from being of such a party as those described; and yet, if still in your sins, without Christ, the danger of your soul is equally great, for the scripture says, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But thanks be to God, who tells us in His Word, that it “is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Hence, in order to be saved, you must accept the blessed Saviour, who, in His infinite love, shed His precious blood for you on Calvary’s cross. If you die in your sins, the lake of fire must be your portion. God’s Word presents no middle path; you will have no one to blame but yourself, for the Gospel will have been no strange story to you while on earth; and it may be you will look back, and see how you despised and rejected God’s sovereign grace. It may be that you do not thus treat His message of love, but simply ignore it. Beware! The scripture says, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”
Sometime after the incident mentioned, when out with a shooting party, C― was waiting, gun in hand, for some others to come up. Unconsciously he held his gun with the stock on his boot and muzzle close to his face, and accidentally the trigger touched his knee, causing the gun to go off, the charge missing him by but a few inches. Another warning, but no heed!
On another occasion, shooting in the west of England, on the wooded side of a hill, several rabbits were soon on foot, and C― perceived one running straight to a bush just in front of him. It was also seen by a friend who was with his gun some ten or fifteen yards higher up the hill. The latter took aim, and, about to fire, was caught sight of by C―, who saw in a moment that the charge must come in his face. Immediately he threw himself flat on the ground, just in time for the shot to pass over him. “God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:1414For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. (Job 33:14)).
One winter C― and a younger brother went out early one morning before breakfast to skate in a neighboring park. There having only been a few nights’ frost, the ice was far from safe. The lake was a very large and deep one, and C― felt it unwise to venture far from the shore. For a few minutes, having lost sight of his younger brother, he skated about, little thinking what was shortly to happen. Suddenly a crash reached his ears, and on turning round a terrible sight presented itself. Some hundred yards off; in the center of the lake, he perceived but the head and shoulders of his brother, who shouted loudly for assistance. What was to be done? No house, ladder, or rope within half-a-mile! Unless prompt action were taken, C― felt the icy cold water must soon do its work. Could he hold on while help was procured?
What thoughts passed through C―’s mind! How could he return home without his brother? and yet, at the moment, he felt powerless to avert such a terrible calamity. Suddenly the thought occurred to him, that though the ice in the center of the lake might not bear him while in an upright position, yet by lying down flat the rescue might be attempted. Hastily divesting himself of coat, vest, and skates, he proceeded as quickly as possible to work himself up to the one in danger. A critical moment indeed, as he approached within a few yards of him who was “ready to perish”! The ice bent greatly with his weight, and any moment he thought they might both have a watery grave.
Even at such a time God was not in his thoughts, but the One who was thus ignored in mercy enabled him with great effort and risk to effect the rescue of his brother. This was done by C― holding out a long stick with bent handle at arm’s-length, and as his brother seized hold of it, he worked himself backwards with the other hand; and so with their united effort the two succeeded in getting out of danger.
A fitting moment, surely, to fall on their knees and thank God for His loving, providential care, but man does not want to retain God at all in his thoughts; and why so? because he does not know Him. Have you ever considered, dear reader, what God’s attitude towards the sinner really is? Let me tell you now! He is for the sinner, but against his sins. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:1010Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)).
It will suffice to mention one more incident. When traveling to the West of England by an express train, at a speed of about sixty miles an hour, as they were going along a high embankment, the crank of the engine’s driving-wheel broke, throwing the wheel quite fifteen inches off the rail. At the moment of the accident C― was dozing, and was only aroused by a quantity of stones flying against the windows of the compartment in which he was. By prompt effort on the part of the engine-driver the train was brought to a standstill some few hundred yards farther on, and it was considered by all to be a remarkable escape.
A year or two after this C― became awakened in his soul, and saw for the first time that he was a lost sinner in the sight of an infinitely holy God, and began to feel how valueless those things of the world were for which he had striven for so many years, and that they brought no real rest of heart. On turning his thoughts towards his brothers and sisters he felt that they had enjoyment in things to which he was a stranger, and began to realize that the attractions of this poor world were but shadows after all. Thoughts of eternity, of death, judgment, and the lake of fire came before his soul, producing nothing but wretchedness. Many a time his life of sin and selfishness passed vividly before him, and then the future hell for the ungodly, a destination to which he was convinced he was approaching. The outward observance of the forms and ceremonies of religion had never been totally neglected, and many a time had he heard the glad tidings of salvation proclaimed, but ever ready to listen to the lies of Satan, he said to himself, ― “By-and-by will do.” Had he been taken away in one of the previously described accidents, how awful a future; for God says, ― “After death the judgment,” and “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Passing several weeks in deep exercise of soul, he sought amongst the various churches in the neighborhood where he was living for something on which to rest his weary soul, and sad to say, the notes of grace were wanting in all but one. There he heard tell of the wondrous love of God, manifested in the gift of His well-beloved Son for poor lost sinners, and then it began to dawn upon him that he individually was an object of the love of God. A ray of comfort entered his soul, but did not bring at once the rest and peace he needed; it was only when under deep conviction of sin and in an agony of spirit that he one night knelt down at his bedside, scarcely conscious of what he was doing, and besought God for peace. In a moment, as it were, C―’s thoughts flashed to that wondrous scene on Calvary’s cross, of which he had so often read and heard, and the truth came vividly before his soul that the Lord Jesus Christ had suffered there for lost sinners like him. He believed that Jesus had died for him, and soon afterward learned the meaning of those blessed words, ― “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” (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)).
Rising from his knees, he felt that his burden of sin was gone. This newly found joy scarcely allowed him to fall asleep on his pillow that night. On the following day Satan brought crowds of difficulties to hinder him confessing Christ, as he ever seeks to do to those starting on their path of faith; but as time passed on, C― was through grace enabled to speak to others of that blessed Saviour who “came to seek and to save that which was lost,” and in whose precious blood he had been washed.
Unsaved reader, there is no future for you but the lake of fire if you die without Christ. If you will only come to Him, mark his words of love, ― “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” God’s Word contains promise after promise of blessing to all those who in self-judgment take their true place before Him, and accept that blessed Saviour that He Himself has provided in the person of His own well-beloved Son. H. E.