“Let Go Of The Twig!”

Good News –February 2015 – Grace & Truth Magazine

“Let Go Of The Twig!”

During a gospel revival in Scotland, a certain lady became concerned about her salvation. Several of her friends had been saved, and feeling some anxiety herself, she went to a preacher and told him she was unhappy. He replied that he was glad to hear it!

Astonished and somewhat offended, she told the minister what efforts she had made to obtain salvation; how she had read and prayed, but still seemed as far from peace with God as ever. He then told her that it was not by anything that she could do, but by what Christ had done long ago and finished on the cross, that she was to be saved.

This all seemed mysterious to her, so she visited her friend who had recently been converted. She asked her what she had done to obtain the wonderful peace with God of which she spoke.

“Done? I have done nothing! It is by what Christ has done that I have obtained peace with God,” her friend replied.

“That is just what the minister told me, but I cannot understand it,” the lady answered. Then she went home very distressed.

Shutting herself in her room, she fell on her knees, resolving that she would not rise till she found rest and peace. After some time in agony she fell asleep. While sleeping, she dreamed that she was falling over a frightful precipice, but caught hold of a single twig which overhung the abyss beneath.

She clung to this twig, crying aloud for help. Then a voice from below, which she knew to be the voice of Jesus, told her to let go of the twig and He would receive and save her. “Lord, save me!” she cried; but the voice again answered, “Let go of the twig.” She did not dare to let go of the twig, but continued crying, “Lord, save me!”

At last, the One below, whose voice she heard but whom she did not see, said in the most tender and solemn tones, “I cannot save you, unless you let go of the twig!” In desperation she let go and fell into the arms of Jesus; and the joy of finding herself there awoke her.

The lesson forcibly impressed on her God’s way of salvation. She saw that Jesus was worthy of all her trust and it was by holding to the twig that she kept herself away from Christ! So she let go of all her self-efforts and found Jesus all sufficient. Now she enjoyed that wonderful peace with God which is only through the Lord Jesus Christ.

What about you? Are you at peace with God? Do you know your sins are all forgiven? Are you resting in the arms of Jesus and in His finished work on Calvary’s cross? If you are not trusting and resting totally in Christ for salvation, and ceasing to cling to any merits or efforts of your own, you will never enjoy peace with God and never reach heaven.

Listen to the heavenly voice that calls to you, “There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isa. 45:21-22 NKJV).

Christ is a complete Savior and the only Savior. If you want to be saved you must let go of every other hope and let yourself fall into His powerful, saving arms. If you are striving, trying and clinging, you are not trusting in His ability to save you and bring you safely to heaven.

Christ did not come to help save sinners. No, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). He must do all the work. Therefore, dear reader – as a guilty, helpless, perishing sinner – you must surrender yourself to Christ and let Him save you! We can tell you more.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Ti. 3:5). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

By Raymond K. Campbell