III.
(Continued from p. 45.)
One does not go far in the army when one discovers its hearty comradeship. From the human standpoint this is the army’s most impressive aspect. Khaki and the King’s service make a kinship which is impossible in civil life. But there are places in military service which can be lonely enough and where a friend, with the best will on earth to help, cannot enter.
Say, on patrol or in a “sap-head,” or doing “runner” during a straff, one can be lonely enough in some ways. And the experience of being taken prisoner must be a lonely one. Above all, to be left wounded or dying must be a terribly lonely thing to go through. I am sure it is for I have witnessed it.
You cannot but think of these things at times, I do hope that you have thought on them often enough and for long enough to see that a companion who can overcome all merely physical hinderances, who is able to be near you, is a person most desirable to know.
Just take another look at those others,—Christians. They have seen an hand stretched out with the promise, “I will never leave you.” and taking Him at His word and grasping His hand they have stepped out in hope. And they are now proving that real companionship is a thing of the spirit. In a word it is of Jesus. It is of God’s Son who became man that He should be of help to sinful men in every circumstance. Jesus holding us by the hand and talking with us, that is fellowship.
Again I assure you that the possession of this boon does not raise the question of your worth, or of your ability, or of your faith, or of your knowledge, or of your upbringing. No it does not even raise the question of your making yourself willing to have Him, though it does bring forward the question of your being willing. “Wilt thou be made whole?”
Take your Bible and go aside with Him alone. Stretch out your hands to Him in desire and pray. No, do not be afraid of prayer. I do not mean that you should try to pray like a minister or anyone of that kind. Make your own prayer. Even although you have never made one before, make your own. And will it run something like this?
“Oh, Lord, I cannot see thee nor hear thee nor feel thee. I hardly know anything about thee and I do know how to become acquainted with thee. I am far from thee but I need thee and I have heard that thou hast visited others who needed thee and that thou has done wonderful things for them. I cannot see how I can be put right in my relationship to thee. I am sinful, I am not even like a Christian, and daily I fill my life with sin. But I hear that thou lovest men who are as bad as I am and that thou art doing them good. Wilt thou do it for me too. I am miserable about it all, but I hear that you can help.”
If prayer like this is directed to Jesus many wonderful things will begin to happen and one of them will be this. You will one day become conscious that He has come to take up His abode with you. Then loneliness will go forever.
At a concert given for the entertainment of soldiers, and after the usual votes of thanks had been given, a corporal got up to say something. “I too thank you most warmly for the interest taken in us and for the very fine entertainment provided for us to-night, but we are due to go to the front tomorrow and you have provided nothing for our souls.“
Well there was a soldier for you. A soldier uttering just what many may have thought but were too afraid to say. To this day I feel a warm regard for him although I do not know who he was. However much they themselves and others may overlook the fact soldiers have souls just as others. And the soul, be it of a soldier or any other person, is a thing which cannot be neglected. It exists for ever, otherwise it cannot be a soul. It exists forever with God in Heaven or forever with the Devil in Hell. Otherwise the words of Christ are not true.
Let us examine this fine, forth-right statement made by our friend at the concert. “Due for the front—soul.” What is the connection? What was in his mind? I think that it was something like this,—“Front—death—judgment.” He meant it just like that. Some of us are due for the front—are due for death—are due for judgment.” And again what connection between, “judgment and provision?” What is the only possible provision for Judgment? To be perfectly free from all sin and guilt. There is no other provision. We must be sinless.
Now looking on our friend’s short speech in this light what do you think he saw? He saw the two fronts, first the battlefield, and the other just beyond it,—the Judgment seat of God. He saw the pure clear terrific light of judgment striking down on the battlefield on sinful, dying men. He saw sinful, guilty, lost souls passing immediately from the front into the presence of God the Judge, and he saw that the most urgent thing they required was a provision sufficient to enable them to pass from the judgment into the happiness of Heaven.
Is there any provision? Have some secured it? Have some of the soldiers got it? Can you get it? Good “front-line” questions these. Yes, to all these questions the answer is yes. Praise the Lord friend, the answer is “Yes.”
Soldiers are going from the battlefield straight to glory. Not on account of anything which they have done or hope to do. Not by serving their country. Not by dying for their country. Not through their being baptised or being church members. Not by their Christian life. No, not on account of anything they have done have they secured the precious provision.
Well, how then come they to have this blessed boon? These men have squared up to some very clear facts and have acknowledged the truth of them. Looking on the fact that they are sinners and then at the fact that God is just in condemning sinners they have come to the solid conclusion that they can do nothing to lift his condemnation from off them. For them, judgment holds condemnation and that only. That is so far as they are able to do anything. They see quite clearly that any provision that will suffice must come from God alone and that it must begin with his forgiveness.
Looking to God they have seen His provision, that He gave His only begotten son over to condemnation and death in the place of sinners and that now God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit is approaching with love, kindness and mercy to sinful men and in the name of Jesus forgiving them freely and forever. This blessing leads to another,—the gift of eternal life. But remember that there is only one place where these blessings are bestowed,— at the feet of Jesus.
So that is how other soldiers pass out. They die with their sins forgiven, with the gift of eternal life in their hands and the smile of God lightening up their faces. They pass into His presence, they go home, they go home to rest, they go home and stay there forever. That actually is happening now among Christians in the army, navy and air-force.
Friend, you must live and die a believer in Christ or be lost forever. There is no other way for it. As you read this I ask you, Are you fit and ready to pass into the presence of a Holy God who knows you and your life through and through? Again I ask you, Are you fit, are you prepared, are you ready. No, do not turn away, give me one straight look in the eye. Do not evade this question. Is it “Yes” or is it “No”?
Jesus has drawn near to you with this forgiveness and this eternal life in his hands. Both are offered to you. Both are free gifts. Both are in the Bible. It carries the knowledge of this salvation, that is what it is for. Open it. Read it. See what it has to say in John, chapter 3 and in Romans, chapters 3 and 5 about this free gift of God. Your wages is death, and you have power to earn NO OTHER WAGE. Look at the gift of God, “Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Do you see it there as you read? Do you receive it as you read? Then come life or death be sure of this, that you will be forever with the Lord. May I cherish the hope of meeting with you in that good land above where there is no separation because there is no sin.—A 4th Seaforth.