James had been a particularly hard man to reach with the gospel; but, to everyone’s surprise, one Sunday evening he turned up at the gospel meeting. That night he was saved.
After the meeting the preacher said, “James, we’ve been praying for you for a long time. We are very happy about the decision you made tonight. If it is not asking too much I wonder whether you would tell us just what it was in the sermon that brought you to the point where you were willing to take this step?”
“Well, I’ll tell you,” the man answered. “It really was not anything you said that brought me to this place. You know that little blue sign by the road over there on Route 143, right along where the road passes the Yoder Dairy, the sign that says, “Now is the Day of Salvation"? Well, every day as I drove to and from work I had to pass that sign. When I first saw it I was furious. I guess if I had thought I could get by with it, I would have taken an ax and smashed it!
“But as I passed day after day it began to wear me down. I got so I couldn’t sleep. All the time those words were before me—“Now is the Day of Salvation.” Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer, so, thank God, here I am.” “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).
ML-07/13/1980