Elsie sat with her box of water colors, coloring pretty texts. Her aunt was suffering from a burnt foot, and unable to go out on her usual visit to the Children’s Hospital; so Elsie, desiring to keep her company, employed herself in painting texts to be given to the crippled boys and girls in the hospital.
She was engaged coloring the words, “The gift of God is eternal life,” when her aunt quietly said, “How strange it seems, for you to be preparing that beautiful text for the little cripples, to show them the way of salvation, while you are all the time refusing God’s gift yourself.”
Elsie looked up from her painting, quite astonished at this strange turn in the conversation. She enjoyed coloring the texts, and was pleased to think that her work would cheer the little cripples in the hospital, but it had never dawned upon her, that she was rejecting the gift of God.
“What do you mean, aunt, by sang that?” asked Elsie, looking seriously into her aunt’s face.
“I fear my little niece has not yet taken God at His Word, and received His gift of eternal life. It is one thing to know about it, and quite another to have it. I am sure you have heard and read about the gift of God, but I am anxious that you should be able to say that it is yours,” said Elsie’s aunt.
There was long silence. Then a tear dropped on the half-colored text, from Elsie’s cheek, followed by a sob. The Spirit of God was silently working in her heart, showing her that she was an unbeliever, and that notwithstanding her knowledge of God’s Word, she had not received His gift of eternal life. Raising her tear-filled eyes, and grasng her aunt’s hand, Elsie earnestly asked, “How can I receive God’s gift, and be sure I have eternal life?”
“By believing His Word, Elsie dear; that’s all,” said her aunt. “He says that He has given His Son to be the Saviour of sinners, and Jesus the Son of God died that we might have life. All who believe on Him are possessors of that life, just as He has said,
‘He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life’ (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). You must believe that, just in the same way as you believed the other day, that I had put your letter in the mail. You did not see it, you did not feel it, but you believed it when I told you. You took me at my word, and said that your father would have your letter next morning.
Is that the way to believe God—just to take Him at His Word? “I never knew that before,” said Elsie.
There was little more said, but later that night, Elsie threw her arms around her aunt’s neck, and said, “I have the gift of God now, auntie. I know it, because God says it, and I have taken Him at His Word.”
Such was Elsie’s faith, and as her life has since proved, she became that night God’s child, and a possessor of eternal life.
Have you, dear boys and girls, taken God at His Word? If not, will you do so now?
ML 10/14/1945