Evening, April 17

Evermore the worldling's cry is, "Who will show us any good?" He seeks satisfaction in earthly comforts, enjoyments, and riches. But the quickened sinner knows of only one good. "O that I knew where I might find HIM!" When he is truly awakened to feel his guilt, if you could pour the gold of India at his feet, he would say, "Take it away! I want to find HIM!"

It is a blessed thing for a man, when he has brought his desires into a focus, so that they all center in one object. When he has fifty different desires, his heart resembles a mire of stagnant water, spread out into a marsh, breeding plague and pestilence; but when all his desires are brought into one channel, his heart becomes like a river of pure water, running swiftly to fertilize the fields. Happy is he who has one desire, if that one desire is set on Christ, though it may not yet have been realized. If Jesus is a soul's desire, it is a blessed sign of divine work within. Such a man will never be content with mere ordinances. He will say, "I want Christ; I must have Him—mere ordinances are of no use to me; I want Himself; do not offer me these; you offer me the empty pitcher, while I am dying of thirst; give me water, or I die! Jesus is my soul's desire. I would see Jesus!"

Is this your condition, my reader, at this moment? Have you but one desire—and is that after Christ? Then you are not far from the kingdom of heaven. Have you but one wish in your heart, and that one wish that you may be washed from all your sins in Jesus' blood? Can you really say, "I would give all I have—to be a Christian; I would give up everything I have and hope for—if I might but feel that I have a saving interest in Christ"? Then, despite all your fears, be of good cheer, the Lord loves you, and you shall come out into daylight soon, and rejoice in the liberty with which Christ makes men free.

Courtesy of Grace Gems! Used by permission.