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A Friend of the King
During
the reign of Queen Victoria, a London doctor visited a
72-year-old lady named Maria Vincent. Her husband had
abandoned her some years earlier. She was poor and
lived in very humble surroundings. She was
undernourished and had neither warm clothes or wood
for a fire. The doctor couldn’t believe her friends
would allow her to live like that. When asked about
it, Maria said she had no friends. Later in the
discussion she corrected herself. She admitted that
there might be one, but was sure that she had
forgotten about her. The doctor pressed her for the
identity of the friend. And finally Maria told him
that it was the Queen herself. She said that the two
of them had been childhood friends.
The
doctor left, not sure that he believed Maria, but when
he got home he wrote the Queen a letter relating the
incident. A few days later he received a letter from
the Queen. The story was true. The Queen had not
forgotten. Enclosed in the letter was enough money to
provide for all of Maria’s needs. For the remaining
years of her life, Maria Vincent lived comfortably as
a friend of the Queen.
Because
of sin, YOU and I find our spiritual condition much
like that of Maria’s: poor, abandoned, and in dire
need. We
too may wonder if we have been forgotten by our
friends.....
Yet,
there is Someone who has not forgotten us, neither has
He been unconcerned.
He is the King, the Creator of heaven and
earth. God,
because of His great love for us, sent His Son Jesus
to die on the cross for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).
His death provided payment sufficient enough to
provide for all of our spiritual needs.
This was done BEFORE we even asked for help!
“But God
demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).
However,
we must accept this Gift on His terms before we can
receive the benefits of His atoning death.
To accept His gift of salvation, we
place our faith
in
Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), repent
of our sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of
sins (Acts 2:38).
To continue to enjoy the benefits of this gift,
we must continue to walk in the light of His Word
(1 John 1:7). This is conditioned NOT upon our SINLESSNESS,
but upon our FAITHFULNESS to His Word, to the
best of our ability.
Our
condition in sin is desperate, yet the Good News is
that the King is our Friend and desires to provide for
our need.
Will
YOU accept His offer
through your trusting obedience?
God bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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