The burly miner blinked as
he left the dark interior of
the coal mine. Stopping at
a faucet near the mine
entrance, he washed the
worst of the grime from his
face and hands, then headed
towards his home on the
outskirts of the village.
As he trudged along the dusty
lane, he passed the open door
of a little church. Inside, a small
crowd listened intently as an
energetic man gesticulated
from the pulpit. Interested,
the miner stepped to the door.
"Absolute surrender is what
we must have," the minister
was saying. "Are you willing
to surrender yourself absolutely
into His hands? If not, you are
not ready to meet your God."
The minister paced back and
forth on the platform. "We do
not know how much longer our
life on earth will last. Tonight
you are living; tomorrow may
be too late. Ask yourself, I beg
of you, 'Am I ready to meet
the Lord?'"
The miner, touched to the quick,
slipped into the back pew. I am
not ready to meet God, he
thought. I have lived a
careless, Godless life. How
can I make peace with Him?
The meeting ended, and the
people filed out. Still the miner
remained in the pew, his
head in his hands.
Finally, the minister touched
him on the shoulder. "Sir, are
you ready to meet the Lord?"
Blindly, the miner shook his
head. "I know I am not. Oh,
help me find peace!"
An hour passed as the minister
shared the plan of salvation;
yet something held the miner
back from full surrender.
"It's getting late," the minister
said. "Go home, and continue
to seek the Lord."
The miner shook his head.
"Stay with me a little longer;
it must be settled tonight."
"Then we shall stay here
together," the minister agreed.
Once more he spoke of Jesus,
and shared promise after promise.
Once more he prayed, but in vain.
"I must go," the minister finally said.
"It will soon be morning.
Go home, and return tomorrow night.
Maybe then you will find peace."
"Sir, I cannot leave this place
until I find peace."
The poor man's voice trembled.
"Tomorrow may be too late.
It must be settled tonight."
The minister could not resist his appeal.
"
By the help of God."
he said, "it shall be settled tonight."
Again he explained the steps of
conversion; again he prayed.
As he spoke, the miner broke
into sobs and tears.
The light had shone through
and pierced his darkness.
"I see it!" he cried. "I give
myself absolutely to Jesus,
to His will, to do only what
He wants. He paid the price
for my sins. It is settled.
Praise His name, it is settled!"
The two men knelt again,
but this time they thanked God
for bringing light to a sinner.
The next morning the miner
went to work as usual. He
was sent to a distant part of
the mine to gather some tools.
When he did not return, his
fellow workers went to look
for him. They found that the
mine walls had caved in, and
he was buried in the debris.
Working with pick and shovel,
they began to dig.
From the fragments of rock
and rubbish and stone which
hid him from sight, came his
fading voice: "Tonight ----
would have been ---- too late.
Thank God ---- it was settled
---- last night!"
Author Unknown by me
