The writer was much struck by the following incident. A dear little girl of tender years had the heart burdening possession of a drunken father. One day the father on returning home, was requested by his little girl, to play with her. Reluctantly he consented, and asked her at what they should play; after considering for a few moments, she said
"Let us play at Sunday School.”
He was inwardly annoyed, but felt he could not refuse.
"Now, daddy," said she, "you sit down there, and say exactly what I tell you.”
After he had seated, she turned to him, and taking the place of teacher, bid him say "Jesus" he was further annoyed but abruptly blurted out, "Jesus!”
"No, daddy," she said, "you must not say it like that; you must say it softly and slowly," and she repeated that holy name reverently to her father, just to show him how he was to say it. He imitated her, and as he slowly and quietly uttered the name of "Jesus" it thrilled his whole being. His little girl then said:
"O! Daddy, I feel so tired, I cannot play any longer," and she went to lie down. God used the power of that sweetest of all names—the name of Jesus—to awaken in that man's heart a sense of his deep need, and a longing to know as his own Savior, the One who bore that name. He knew he was a sinner, for he knew his whole course had been one of gross wickedness, and forgetfulness of God. From the lips of his wee little daughter, he learned the story of the rich and gracious provision that God had made for such a sinner as he, in the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He eagerly drank the truth into his heart, and received as his Savior and Friend, the One whose precious name he had been bidden to repeat and he proved the truth of the word of God that "The blood of Jesus Christ (His Son) cleanseth us from all sin."
That little home is no brighter and happier, and father and daughter together praise the grace that has made them His, who, "though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)).
O! ye who teach the young the way of salvation, let me urge you on, take courage, for here you see the result of seed sown in that young heart. The sowing may be hard and trying, but be not disheartened, for how; refreshing is the reaping, if not in this day, 'twill be in that day that is coming. This little incident reminded me of much that we get in the Word of God about the name of Jesus.
"Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)), which means that He was a Savior. Then how glad a dear sinner should be, when bowed down with a felt burden of his sins, he hears of that name and what it means.
O! dear reader, do you know of this Jesus, the Savior of sinners? Is He your Savior? Do you know the sweet and blessed power of His name? O! if not, my heart aches for you, for you must be awfully desolate and unhappy. There can be no question as to the saving power of that name for "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)), and it only requires a poor guilty sinner to believe in Him, and what He has done, and he assuredly receives remission of sins. But what has He done? He has died for our sins according to the Scriptures; He has been buried; and has risen again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3, 43For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3‑4)).
It is this: that when you and I were such rebel sinners and enemies of God, deserving to be banished into hell, God so loved us that He sent His own Son to die instead of us. And how was this to meet the holy and righteous claims of the God against whom we had sinned? Why! Jesus suffered all the consequences of our sins, and believing in Him we go free.
"O!" say you, "what wonderful love!”
O! yes, dear reader, it was indeed wonderful love, and it was love that had a purpose, for, "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).
So that if the heart of man rebels against the grace and love of God, in the gift of a Savior bearing such a name, there is nothing else left, but to be lost forever. It is believing in, and confessing the name of Jesus, that insures your name being written in the book of life, but how sad for all those whose names are not written there, for at the great white throne, whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. (See Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)).
O! dear sinner, will you come to Jesus now? He lovingly invites you, saying, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28). It says of Jesus, that, "God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:9-119Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9‑11).
There are many too proud to bow to that peerless name today, but soon, men will have no choice in the matter. Jesus has so satisfied and glorified God, that God will see that homage is paid to Him by all. And O! that day is fast approaching. How much better, beloved reader, it is to "confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead," while it is God's day of grace, than to have to yield forced homage then. I trust that you may soon learn the sweetness and power of the name of Jesus and the preciousness, too, for "The pardoned sinner's memory holds None other half so dear.”