in vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she will see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole country to have been so much agitated about any event unless it was the assassination of President Garfield.
Well, suppose the mother of Charlie Ross were in some meeting; and that while the preacher was speaking, she happened to look down amongst the audience and see her long lost son.
Suppose that he was poor, dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, what would she do? Would she wait till he was washed and decently clothed before she would acknowledge him?
No, she would get off the platform at once, rush towards him and take him in her arms. After that she would cleanse and clothe him.
So it is with God. He loved us, and washed us.
I can imagine one saying, “If God loves me, why does He not make me good?”
God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn hearts, but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of love.
He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage supper of the Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow.
He wants you to walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder blissful world. He wants to adopt you into His family; and to make you a son or a daughter of heaven.
Will you trample His love under your feet? or will you, this hour, give yourself to Him?