y orange trees. He
said to me: "Make yourself perfectly at home; if you see anything
you want just help yourself." When I wanted some oranges, I did not
go into the garden and pray to the oranges to tumble into my mouth;
I just put out my hand and took all I required. So it is with us.
Why should we go on asking and beseeching God to have mercy upon us,
when He has already given His Son, and given His Holy Spirit? What
we need is to have a broken and a contrite heart, and to be willing
to receive Him. The trouble with us is that we have locked the doors
of our hearts against Him.

There is a story that Dr. Arnot was accustomed to tell of a poor
woman who was in great distress because she could not pay her
landlord his rent. The Doctor put some money in his pocket and went
round to her house intending to help her. When he got there he
knocked at the door. He thought he heard some movement inside; but
no one came to open the door. He knocked louder and louder still;
but yet no one came. Finally he kicked at the door, causing some of
neighbors to look out and see what was going on. But he could get no
entrance; and at last he went away thinking his ears must have
deceived him, and that there was really no one there. A day or two
afterwards he met the woman in the street, and told her what had
happened. She held up her hands and exclaimed, "Was that you? I was
in the house all the while; but I thought it was the landlord, and I
had the door locked!"

Many people are keeping the door of their heart locked against the
Saviour in just the same way. They say "I am afraid I shall have to
give up so much." That is something like a ragged beggar being
unwilling to give up his rags, in order to get a new suit of good
clothes. I pity those people who are all the time looking to see
what they will have to give up. God wants to bestow His marvelous
grace on His people; and there is not a soul who has believed on
Jesus, for whom God has not abundance of grace in store. What would
you say of a man dying of thirst on the banks of a beautiful river,
with the stream flowing past his feet? You would think he was mad!
The river of God's grace flows on without ceasing; why should we not
partake of it, and go on our way rejoicing?

Do you say you are sinners? It is just to such as you that God's
grace is given. There was a sailor whose mother had long been
praying for him. I do think mothers' prayers are sure to be answered
some day. One