Evening, April 17
Go To Morning Reading
“We would see Jesus.”
John 12:21
Evermore the worldling’s cry is, “Who will show us any good?” He seeks satisfaction in earthly comforts, enjoyments, and riches.
But the quickened sinner knows of only one good. “O that I knew where I might find Him !” When he is truly awakened to feel his guilt, if you could pour the
gold of India at his feet, he would say, “Take it away: I want to find Him .” It is a blessed thing for a man, when he has brought his desires
into a focus, so that they all centre in one object. When he has fifty
different desires, his heart resembles a mire of stagnant water, spread
out into a marsh, breeding miasma and pestilence; but when all his
desires are brought into one channel, his heart becomes like a river
of pure water, running swiftly to fertilize the fields. Happy is he
who hath one desire, if that one desire be set on Christ, though it
may not yet have been realized. If Jesus be a soul’s desire, it is a blessed sign of divine work within. Such a man will
never be content with mere ordinances. He will say, “I want Christ; I must have him—mere ordinances are of no use to me; I want himself ; do not offer me these; you offer me the empty pitcher, while I am
dying of thirst; give me water, or I die. Jesus is my soul’s desire. I would see Jesus!”
Is this thy condition, my reader, at this moment? Hast thou but one
desire, and is that after Christ? Then thou art not far from the kingdom
of heaven. Hast thou but one wish in thy heart, and that one wish
that thou mayst be washed from all thy sins in Jesus’ blood? Canst thou really say, “I would give all I have to be a Christian; I would give up everything
I have and hope for, if I might but feel that I have an interest in
Christ?” Then, despite all thy fears, be of good cheer, the Lord loveth thee,
and thou shalt come out into daylight soon, and rejoice in the liberty
wherewith Christ makes men free.