Often Reproved!

Francis Bourdillon, 1873

The minister lost no time in going, for the message was urgent. A man had a massive stroke and was in great danger. As he got near the door, he heard the sound of hard breathing within. He found the man lying on a bed in a lower room. He lay just as he had been found in the road. His mouth was wide open; his eyes were closed; his hard breathing was most distressing to hear. The minister drew near and spoke to him, but it was useless—the man made no sign; he was quite insensible.

The doctor stood by.

"Is there any hope?" asked the minister.

"None," replied the doctor.

"Is it likely that he will recover his senses?" The doctor only shook his head. He had done all he could for him. Neither minister nor doctor could do more now.

Sadly did the minister go from the house. Too well he knew what the man had been—a drunkard, a swearer, a wicked man, quite careless about his soul. He had often been warned, but in vain. Many a time had the minister himself spoken solemnly to him about the state of his soul. Sometimes he would listen patiently, sometimes not. But no change came. He went on still in his old way, until at length God put forth His hand against him.

Early the next morning the minister was at the house again. No sound was heard as he drew near; all was silent within, and when he opened the door the bed was empty. They had moved the body upstairs. The man had never become conscious again. Just as he lay the day before—so he had died. From the time he was struck—he had never spoken, never known anything. So he had passed into eternity.

"He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck—will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Do you know where those words come from? They are from the Bible (Proverbs 29:1). They are God's words. And God, who caused them to be written—sometimes makes them come true before men's eyes. He did so in this case. This man had been often reproved, but he had hardened his neck, and he was suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy.

Suddenly. He had been drinking freely. He seemed quite well in health, when in a moment the stroke fell upon him, and he never spoke again.

Without remedy. Nobody could help him. The doctor could do nothing; the minister could do nothing. The stroke had come. There was no help, no remedy, after that.

You who drink, swear, forget God, neglect your soul, and turn a deaf ear to the voice of warning—take care, take care! You are doing the very same thing as this unhappy man did. You are going the same way. You are provoking God to deal with you in like manner. You have been often reproved—reproved by man, reproved by the word of God, reproved by your own conscience. But you have hardened your neck, hardened your heart, and gone on in your own way—and you are going on so now. 

What if the rest should come true of you? What if the sudden stroke should fall, and you would never speak again, and so should pass into eternity? How do you know that it will not be so? Look at those words again and see if you are not in danger of it—yes in danger of it every moment. Did that man see the stroke coming? No! Yet it came. You see no stroke coming; but it may be near for all that. Will you not be warned?

Why has not the stroke fallen on you long ago? Have you not deserved it? Have you not provoked God to send it? Why have you been spared? Why are you alive to this day? Why have you not been cut off in your sins? Because "the Lord is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). These are the words of God too. This is what He Himself says.

God has often reproved you, often warned you; and all His reproofs and all His warnings and all His waiting have been in mercy to your soul. He warns you once more today. He warns you, because He wills not the death of a sinner. Even now He will save you, if you seek Him. Jesus died for sinners. All guilty as you are—His blood can wash you clean and make your peace and save your soul. See! You are lost if you go on as you are. You can be saved if you turn and seek mercy through Christ. It is offered to you, offered freely. Oh, hear, turn, believe, and live.