A young man arose at the close of a church meeting and said: “I once had a father and mother who cared more for my soul’s salvation than anything else. At last my father died. Then my mother became more anxious than ever for me and sometimes she would put her arms around my neck and plead with me to come to Christ. I told her I wanted to see something of the world and did not want to become a Christian in early life.”

“Some times I would wake up past midnight and hear mother crying out to God for me. At last I felt that I must either become a Christian or go away from mother’s influence. I made my decision; I went away.”

“After a long time had passed I heard from home indirectly that my mother was sick. I knew what it meant; I knew she was pining for me. I knew her heart was broken on account of my wayward life. I wanted to go home and ask mother to forgive me, but then I would have to become a Christian, and my rebellious heart said, “I will not go.”

“Later I heard that my mother was worse and I thought, “Suppose my mother should die?  If I never see her again, I could never forgive myself. So I started home.  I got in town just after dark.  The moon was shining.  I was about a mile and a half from mother’s house.  On the way I thought I would visit the graveyard where my father was buried.  When I drew near, my heart beat more quickly as I saw by the light of the moon a newly-made grave beside Dad’s.  Mother was gone!”

“Then for the first time the question came: ‘Who will pray for my lost soul now?  Father and mother are both gone.'”

“Young people, I would have given the world if I could have called my mother back and have her put her arms around my neck and heard her speak my name in prayer.  But her voice is silent forever.”

“I knelt beside the grave, crying that God would have mercy on me.  Before morning came I believed that God, for Christ’s sake, had forgiven my sins and mother’s God became my God and Savior.  But, young people, I can never forget;  I killed my godly mother.  I trampled her prayers under my feet and sent her to the grave.  Young people, if you have a godly mother, treat her kindly.  Let Jesus save you.  Receive Him now into your heart and life.”

The Apostle John writes, “To all who received Him, those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”  (John 1:12)

–Adapted