Thought for the week: Luke Short’s remarkable conversion
When Luke Short was just a lad of 15, he went to hear the famous Puritan preacher, John Flavel. The message that day was based on the text: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (1 Cor 16:22).
It was a very solemn meeting and the whole message was clear and powerful, but it seemed to have no effect on young Luke Short.
A brief time after that meeting Luke left England and sailed to America where he became a farmer, and in the mercy of God lived to a very great age. When he was in his hundredth year, he sat thinking over his long life, and many of the things that he had passed through. Then suddenly he remembered the meeting that he had attended some eighty-five years before. The Spirit of God also brought to his mind the solemn message that he had heard all those years ago, and he was able to recall very clearly the warning the preacher had sounded. So much so that he became very troubled about his soul. As a result, just there and then, he cried to God for forgiveness, and he was wonderfully saved.
After his conversion Luke’s life bore clear evidence of salvation, and to his dying day at 116 years of age he maintained a strong testimony for Christ.
The seed of the Gospel that was sown in Luke’s heart did not bear fruit until almost a century later. But the Lord in His good time used it to the Salvation of his soul. What an encouragement there is in that truth for all who teach children and young people the message of Salvation. Often when you speak to young people of the things of God it seems as if they are not interested, and they do not hear one word of what you have said.
But what the Lord wants you to do as you sow the seed of the Gospel is, to trust Him to use it and bless it in the future. It may be that you will not live to see all the people saved, that you have prayed for and spoken to. John Flavel had long gone to Heaven when Luke Short came to faith in Christ.
Solomon exhorts you to continue in your labours by saying, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Eccles 11:1).
Therefore, to all who labour so faithfully among the children and young people let me encourage you to be steadfast in that work. While you may not always see immediate results, with God’s blessing it will bear fruit in His time.