Mr. Fuller was sick in bed, and his daughter Elsie used to love to sit beside him and chatter t way whenever she had time. It was Sunday evening, and special gospel meetings were being held in the town. Elsie could hardly make up her mind whether to stay and visit with her sick father, or to go again to the meetings. She had gone for several nights, and had been much interested in what the preacher had said about our sins and how they might be forgiven through the blood of the Lord Jesus. In spite of all that she had heard, she had not yet taken Jesus as her own Saviour.
When the meeting started, Elsie could be seen as usual in a seat near the front, listening carefully to all that was said. When the meeting was over, Elsie walked slowly and thoughtfully out the door. The evangelist saw that she was looking very solemn, so he took her hand and said, “Young girl, you need the blood.”
As she walked home the words kept repeating themselves to her, “You need the blood. You need the blood.” But, she thought, there are many worse than I am, but that does not mend matters and I really am afraid to die. Suddenly she stopped right on the street and closed her eyes and owned herself a sinner before God and thanked Him for the blood of Jesus which she now accepted as cleansing her from all sin.
As soon as she reached home, she went straight to her father’s bedside and said, “Father, you need the blood.” Her father was much surprised at this strange remark and asked her what she meant. Happily she told him of all that had happened, and of how she knew that her sins were now gone through the blood of Jesus Christ. The poor sick father listened eagerly and then laid back in the bed and thanked God for that precious blood of Jesus. He trusted fully that glorious verse, uttered by the Lord Jesus, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37).
The next day, Elsie’s older brother Charlie came home from his work in a distant town. As soon as he entered his father’s room, the dear sick man stretched out his hand and said in a broken voice, “Charlie, my son, you need the blood!” Through God’s great mercy these words led Charlie also to see his lost condition and to flee for shelter to the only Saviour. Thus, within a very short time, sister, father and brother were all rejoicing in Christ Jesus and His saving blood!
And to you who are reading this paper we would say, “You need the blood!” May it speak to you of your need of God’s provision for it, so that you too may rejoice under its shelter.
ML 02/11/1951