An encouraging example to us of the work of God’s Spirit in years gone by includes a very special leading in the heart of Fanny Crosby in the year of 1869.
What we might call a word of knowledge came to her while ministering at a New York mission. On a hot summer evening, while speaking to a large company of working men whom she could not see because she was blind, Fanny Crosby described a thought that kept forcing itself onto her mind that “some mother’s boy must be rescued that night or not at all.” Fanny Crosby further describes the incident with these words: “I made a pressing plea that if there was a boy present who had wandered from his mother’s home and teaching would he come to me at the close of the service.”
Later an 18-year-old young man came and asked if she meant him? He shared that he had promised his mother that he would meet her in heaven but that as he was now living that would be impossible. He prayed that night and was saved.
After that experience, Fanny went home and before retiring that evening she had completed the now-famous hymn “Rescue the Perishing”. Some of its words bear repeating.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying.
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
Tho’ people are slighting Him, still He is waiting.
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently.
He will forgive if they only believe.
0 Comments