The Central Presbyterian

A Present Saviour.

Let me ask you, young friends, who were present at the last meeting you attended? When you came home, did you speak to those who were there? And when speaking of those who had been there, did you say, "Jesus was in the midst?" For, if it was a meeting held in His name, He was not absent from it. "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them," Mat. xviii: 20. How near you must have been to Him! Did you know that? Now, when Jesus is in a meeting, He is there for some blessed end. He is there to give, and He has gifts in His hand for you to take. Did you know that when you sat in the last meeting you attended? If a fragrant branch of myrtle or a rose of Sharon, were in the room, it must be giving forth its sweet smell; it cannot be there without giving what it has. Even so, Jesus is never present without giving. When He came into the upper room where His disciples met, He gave "peace;" He gave a sight of His "hands and His side," that they might see He was the Saviour who died, and from whose death wounds comes forth life to us; He gave "the Holy Ghost," John xx: 19-23. What did He give forth at the last meeting at which you were present? But you went home. Jesus was near you in your closet. Jesus is very near you at this moment. Are you saying, 'Oh that I knew where I might find Him!' My dear friend, He is near. "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between thee and Him." Was He near Nicodemus that night, when, looking in his face, He said, "Nicodemus, except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God?" He is really near you at this moment. Was He near the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well, when He said, "If thou knowest the gift of God, thou wouldst ask, and He would give?" He is as near you. Yes, "as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step" between thee and Him. You were the sheep going astray; and now you are bleating after Him. "Oh that I knew where I might find Him!" Young soul, the shepherd is close to you. He is bending over you. He is kindly looking at you, and crying, "Behold Me! behold Me!" Isa. lxv: 1. For John and Mary were not nearer the cross than you are to Jesus Himself at this quiet moment. The thief on the cross was not nearer than you are. He is, though unseen, beside you—close beside you. Speak to Him and He will hear. I see Him looking at you, and His lips seem to be saying, "Behold Me! behold Me!" Never say, then, young soul, "I must wait till Jesus comes to me." He has come! He has come! Indeed, your feeling of desire for Him has been caused by His being so near. Never say, "Though Jesus be near, and though I write to ask Him for salvation, I might have to wait a long time before He gave it." Search the Bible and see. Did He keep the thief on the cross long waiting? Did He keep the leper waiting, who cried, "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst?" The longest time I find Him keeping any one waiting is about five minutes; and that was the woman of Syrophenicia. He is near, very near. Ere this year end may the Holy Ghost show you how near He is, and open your heart to Him. Go tell Jesus all you feel, and ask Him, "Lord, may I use Thy life of obedience, and Thy death of awful woe, as if I had lived that life and died that death?" Ask Him; and what does He say? He replies, "Take freely, whosoever will; only take at once." He is at your side, young soul. Ask again, "Lord, what will pay the debt I owe to God?' He says at once, "My life and My death will be good payment." But, Lord, may I use Thy life and death as if all had been my own life and my own death?" He says, "Even so; tell the Father in My name that here is thy payment of all debts. My merit is thy ransom." Dear soul, as this year opens, speak to a present Saviour. There is just a thin veil between you and the sign of Him. One day, a lady, who lived a life of faith in the Son of God, all at once said to a friend, "I had such strange feelings just now. He drew very near." Her friend asked, "Who drew near?' "Jesus! I felt as if He stood close beside me." Was not this blessed? But, young friends, whether or not you feel Jesus near, we assure you He is near, very near—but a step, and scarcely a step, between you and Him.—Rev. Dr. Andrew A. Bonar.