IT was a lovely spring evening, quiet and calm, and little Olive and I were walking down a long garden path, under the branches of apple and cherry trees all gleaming with snowy white and pink blossoms. The sun was still warm, so at last we sat down on a garden seat where we could look across and see the river as it sparkled in the sun.
Whether the sight of the sunshine upon the water made us think of it or not, I do not know, but presently I found myself telling the little girl the tale of Peter going to the sea and finding the money in the fish’s mouth. Most of the girls and boys who are reading this know the story: if you do not, get your Testament and search for it, and read it for yourselves, and see if you do not, like Olive, think it a “beautiful story.”
When I finished she was not at all willing to run away again, and begged hard for “just one more little story before I go to bed.” As the shadows stole over the garden we went into the house and up to the nursery. Olive was very quiet for a time, but at last she suddenly looked up into my face and said—
“Auntie, what is salvation?”
Now I have not told you before that Olive loved the Lord,—that she did so was clear to those who were always with her, for she really showed it in her life, though at the time of which I am writing she was not six years old. She loved to hear and read of the Lord Jesus, and many a half-hour did she spend in reading the Gospels, when, had she preferred, she might have been at play. Well, I did not answer her question by telling her what I thought, for I wanted to set her thinking, and to see how far She really understood what she read and heard: so I only said—
“Well, dear, what does it mean? You tell me what you think.”
There was no answer for a little while; the child’s eyes were looking right away to where the clouds were sailing along, for as we sat by the open window, we could see the reflection of the setting sun, as it gilded everything around: but at last Olive said—
“Well, the Lord said to Zacchaeus, ‘This day is salvation come to this house,’ so it is the Lord Himself.”
My little Olive had been taught what many, many grown-up people fail to learn. Perhaps you cannot see what Olive meant: but if you love the Lord and belong to Him, then you have salvation —that wonderful gift, which God gives to all who really trust Him. Salvation means having all our sins washed away, and being forgiven, and having a bright and beautiful home in glory to go to; it is all that, but more: it is having the Lord Jesus for our own living Saviour and Friend. He is always near, always ready to hear those who love Him: ready to hear about all our troubles and all our pleasures: He who loves better than even a mother or father can: and He saves us all the day long.
Now, dear little children, would you not like to have all this? You shall if you are like Zacchaeus, and really want the Lord.