“KEEPING ON ASKING."

Hoa Maori, Issue 14, 1 October 1889, Page 4

“ KEEPING ON ASKING."

WELL you accept this little book?” ■ a servant of the Lord said to his neighbour in a railway carriage the other day. “It is about the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know Him ?” “ Yes, indeed I do,” was the hearty reply, “ this many a year.” “"What Has he done for you the servant asked. “Why, He died to put away my sins.” “ Oh, then you are a sinner ?” “Yes, indeed a great one;”, and the dear old

plain spoken countrywoman as she was, grew quite lovely to look upon as she took her right place before God, even that of a great sinner. “ And do you know thatyour sins are forgiven 11 Oh dear, no !” she said; “I could not say that; I hope they will he some day.” •‘And how are you to know when they are forgiven ? said the questioner. “By keeping on asking,” was ’ the response. “ What! How can ‘ keeping oh asking ’be an answer? Now suppose you had greatly offended me, and you came to me and asked me to forgive yon, would your persistent asking let you know that I had forgiven you?” “Oh, no!” she said. “What would then “ Your telling me so. “ Exactly. Now let us look at God’s word;’ ’ and opening his Bible, the servant read the 18th verse of Isa. i.: “ Come now and let us reason together , saith the Lord ; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” “ What does God say about your sins?’’ “He says they shall be as white as snow.” And then turning to Acts xiii. 38, there was read in the ears of that dear old woman this wondrous message of God : “Be it known unto you therfore, men and brethren, that through this man" (Christ Jesus, once crucified, but now exalted to God’s right hand) “ is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.” ■ “ Now,” said the servant, “ God has told you that He wants you to know, on the only unchanging authority that there is in this changing scene — authority of His word —that if you are a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven, and that not because of your ‘ keeping on asking,’ but because His own beloved Son has borne them ‘in His own body on the tree ’ ” 1 Peter ii. 24.) The old woman apparently believed and rejoiced. Header, how it with you? Are you seeking to know that your sins are forgiven because you keep on asking, or because God says it Which E.O. L.