0870. Saved with Joy

Saved with Joy

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isa_12:3).

Illustration: A ship is disabled and slowly sinking at sea. The passengers and crew have for days been facing a watery grave. The call for help has gone forth. Fear grips every soul! Each moment despair is tightening its hold! Suddenly, from the rigging, a sailor cries, "Ship ahoy! Ship ahoy!" Then there is joy–such joy as only those who have experienced rescue can comprehend.

A soul is going down in sin and death. He feels the powers of hell creeping upon him; hades is opening its mouth to receive him and to bear him down to eternal gloom; and then suddenly Christ appears on the scene. He cries: "Look unto Me and be ye saved." Then there is joy, glad joy.

Illustration: There is lull in some horrible battle where for hours the battle had raged. The opposing armies, the blue and the grey, had fallen back behind the ramparts. Upon the deserted battle-field lay many wounded. Their cry is heard: "Water! water! give us water!" Will any one heed the cry and leap the wall? Yes, there is one! A boy in grey with filled canteens presses on among the wounded. He lifts the head of one and then another, and gives them drink. When the boys in blue understood the purpose of the comrade-enemy they leaped to their feet, as one man, and rent the air with, "Three cheers to the boy in grey, who risked his life to give drink to the wounded of both blue and grey." Then there was joy! The wounded soldiers drank the water that slaked their thirst, with joy.

Jesus stood once and cried saying: "If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink." Then let us drink with joy.

"I came to Jesus, as I was,

Weary and worn and sad,

I drank of that life-giving stream,

And He has made me glad."

At Pentecost, "they that gladly received the Word were baptized, and the same day there was added unto them about three thousand souls." They gladly received the Word. It was the only proper thing to do.

Isaiah prophesied it would be so. He wrote: "Let the wicked forsake his way." "And they shall go forth with joy." It is a time when one should go forth with singing.

When the lame man was healed at the beautiful gate of the Temple, he stood up and leaped with joy, praising God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR