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Backslidden?
`Have
you wandered far from God? Arise and go to your Father. He will meet
you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in
repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite
love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very
first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a
prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however
secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however
feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the
prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace
from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the
human soul.’ (COL205-6)
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`What sins are too great for His pardon? He is merciful, and as such is infinitely more ready and more pleased to pardon than to condemn.' (2SM231) |
`Desponding
soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think
that perhaps God will pardon your transgressions and permit you to
come into His presence. God has made the first advance. While you
were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to seek you.
. . . The soul, bruised and wounded and ready to perish,
He encircles in His arms of love and joyfully bears it to the fold
of safety.' (COL188/9)
`Do
not listen to the enemy's suggestion to stay away from Christ until
you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to
God. If you wait until then, you will never come. When Satan points
to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Jesus, "Him that
cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.’
(COL205)
`The
Lord is full of compassion for His suffering ones. What sins are too
great for His pardon? He is merciful, and as such is infinitely more
ready and more pleased to pardon than to condemn. He is gracious,
not looking for wrong in us; He knoweth our frame; He remembereth
that we are but dust. In His boundless compassion and mercy He heals
all our backslidings, loving us freely while we are yet sinners,
withdrawing not His light, but shining on us for Christ's sake.’
(2SM231)
`Now
He invites you. Now, just now, He calls upon you to return unto Him
without delay, and He will graciously pardon and heal all your
backslidings.’ (1T430)
`Return
faithless people; I will cure you of your backsliding.' (Jeremiah
3:22)
`The
shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is missing does not
look carelessly upon the flock that is safely housed, and say,
"I have ninety and nine, and it will cost me too much trouble
to go in search of the straying one. Let him come back, and I will
open the door of the sheepfold, and let him in." No; no sooner
does the sheep go astray than the shepherd is filled with grief and
anxiety. He counts and recounts the flock. When he is sure that one
sheep is lost, he slumbers not. He leaves the ninety and nine with
the fold, and goes in search of the straying sheep. The darker and
more tempestuous the night and the more perilous the way, the
greater is the shepherd's anxiety and the more earnest his search.
He makes every effort to find that one lost sheep.
`With
what relief he hears in the distance its first faint cry. Following
the sound, he climbs the steepest heights, he goes to the very edge
of the precipice, at the risk of his own life. Thus he searches,
while the cry, growing fainter, tells him that his sheep is ready to
die. At last his effort is rewarded; the lost is found. Then he does
not scold it because it has caused him so much trouble. He does not
drive it with a whip. He does not even try to lead it home. In his
joy he takes the trembling creature upon his shoulders; if it is
bruised and wounded, he gathers it in his arms, pressing it close to
his bosom, that the warmth of his own heart may give it life. With
gratitude that his search has not been in vain, he bears it back to
the fold.’ (COL187-8)
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`The
blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are
back-slidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin
against great light and love. Satan stands at our right hand to
accuse us, and our Advocate stands at God's right hand to plead for
us. He has never lost a case that has been committed to Him. We may
trust in our Advocate; for He pleads His own merits in our behalf.
Hear His prayer before His betrayal and trial. Listen to His prayer
for us; for He had us in remembrance.’ (7BC948)
Welcome
back to the fold - dear friend. Always remember that the church is a
hospital for sick people - and we all are sick - no exceptions. If
you never realised that, read Romans 3:10-18. So do not expect
everyone in the church to behave like saints. Keep your eyes fixed
on Jesus, not on people, and you will not become discouraged. We suggest that you
now read the article - A Brand New
You. At this point you might also wish to consider the feature,
Lost
In Sin?
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