January 18

The Divine Visitor

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. — Luke 1:68

What a beautiful thought it is that God pays visits to His people in this world! We remember a number of visits He made in the olden times, to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses, to Joshua, and to others.

But the most wonderful visit He ever made was when Christ came and stayed so long, and did so much to bless the world. After a while He went away; yet we must not think that He went away to stay, and that He never pays visits to this world any more. Every time any of His children are in trouble He comes to help them. They do not always know it; for He comes unseen, and often so softly and silently that people do not know they have such a glorious visitor within their doors.

He visits those who are not saved, to try to persuade them to accept salvation. When we are in great danger, He visits us to deliver us. When we are sick or suffering, He visits us to give us grace to bear our suffering. Then ofttimes He will come and “stand at our door and knock,” and want to visit with us and give us some rich blessing, and we will not open the door.

There was an old Scotch woman who could not pay her rent, and the landlord said he would seize her goods. A good friend heard of it, and went to her house to give her money to save her property. He knocked, but could not get in. Next day he met her and told her of his visit. “Was that you?” she said with amazement; “I thought it was the officer coming to take my goods, and I had all the doors and windows barred, and would not let him in.”

So Christ comes and knocks. He knows of our need, and wants to bless or help us; and we bar our doors and keep Him out, not knowing who He is nor why He comes. We must remember that when Christ comes it is always to do us good, and that we shall rob ourselves if we ever keep Him out or refuse His visit.