COME, THOUGH UNWORTHY.

 

AUGUST 23
 
COME, THOUGH UNWORTHY.
 
"A friend of publicans and sinners." 

                          Matthew 11:19.
 
"I thought not myself worthy to come unto thee," 

said the centurion in the days of our Lord's flesh. 

And what he said, many feel. 

But let no sense of unworthiness keep you back. 

Jesus looks for nothing in you. 

  He asks nothing of you. 

  He simply invites you to come unto him, 

    that he may make you eternally blessed. 

His heart is set upon making,
  poor sinners rich,
  miserable sinners happy,
  polluted sinners holy, and
  guilty sinners righteous!
 
Wait as long as you please, 

  you will never find any worthiness in yourself. 

Come as soon as you will, 

  you will never find Jesus refuse you 

    because of your unworthiness. 

If you were the most unworthy creature God ever made, 

  or that sin ever defiled, 

  or that Satan ever led captive at his will,

   you would be most welcome to Jesus. 

Saving great sinners, gets him great honor.
 
Speaking to some who thought themselves worthy, 

  he said, "Publicans and harlots enter into

     the kingdom of God before you!" 

And when he sent forth his apostles,

  "repentance and remission of sins 

  must be preached among all nations, 

    beginning at Jerusalem"  

at Jerusalem, 

  where they 
  mocked him,
  spit in his face,
  scourged him,
  insulted and derided him,
  crowned him with thorns,
    and at last crucified him!

Could sinners be more vile than these?

Could any be more unworthy than such?
 
But, if my reader were the most unworthy 

  wretch that ever blasphemed God's name, 

   and had reviled God's Son,

   his unworthiness would be no barrier in his way,

   nor would he be rejected because of it. 

Come then, unworthy sinner, 

  with all your deep and bitter sense of unworthiness,

  come to Jesus, and your soul shall live.
 
"I will arise and go to my father, 

   and will say unto him, Father, 

    I have sinned against heaven, 

     and before thee,  

And am no more worthy to be called thy son:   

                                     Luke 15:18-20
 

 James Smith 1855