“Jesus, let Thy pitying eye
Call back a wandering sheep;
False to Thee like Peter, I
Would fain like Peter weep.
Let me be by grace restored;
On me be all long-suffering shown;
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break this heart of stone.
“Look as when Thy grace beheld
The harlot in distress,
Dried her tears, her pardon seal’d,
And bade her go in peace;
Foul, like her, and self-abhorr’d,
I at Thy feet for mercy groan:
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break this heart of stone.
“Look as when, condemn’d for them,
Thou didst Thy followers see;
‘Daughters of Jerusalem!
Weep for yourselves, not me.’
And am I by my God deplored,
And shall I not myself bemoan?
Turn and look upon me, Lord,
And break this heart of stone.
“Look as when Thy languid eye
Was closed that we might live:
‘Father,’ (at the point to die
My Saviour cried,) ‘forgive;’
Surely with that dying word,
He turns, and looks, and cries, ‘’Tis done!’
O my gracious, bleeding Lord,
Thou break’st my heart of stone!”
Thus have we sought to win back to Christ the strayed one, and to help the returning wanderer heavenward. If the Lord has graciously given you to experience His restoring mercy, forget not one great reason why you are restored—that you might hate and forsake the cause of your departure. If we have succumbed to temptation, it is not enough that we have broken from its snare; if we have fallen into sin, it is not enough that we have escaped from its power. God would have you learn thereby one of your holiest lessons—the deeper knowledge of that which tempted and overcame you, that you might go and sin no more. Restored yourself, seek the restoration of others. Hear the injunction of Christ to Peter in view of his recovery,—“When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Seek to bring souls to Jesus. Let this be an object of life. Be especially tender, gentle, and kind to Christians who have fallen into sin, and are thereby wounded, distressed, and despairing. Extend a helping hand to lead them back to Christ. Your deep abhorrence of the sin must not be allowed to lessen your compassion and sympathy for the sinning one. This did not Jesus. If the Church has vindicated her purity and allegiance to Christ by a wise and holy discipline of the offender, “sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him,” (2 Cor. 2:6-8.) Thus charged Paul the church to which he wrote, and in so doing he but imitates his Lord and Master, who, with a look of forgiving love, could comfort and restore his fallen apostle Peter. “Be ye imitators of God, as dear children.”
OCTAVIUS WINSLOW
http://www.shilohonline.org/articles..._returning.htm
I beseech everyone who has partaken in this thread to read this message. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Print it out and give it to pentitent backsliders.
[Edited on 10-10-2006 by Blueridge reformer]