"Grapes in the Wilderness."
IN Hosea ix, 10, the Lord says, "I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness." He is telling of his gladness in finding these lost sheep, his delight in taking them up when they were wayward, sinful, wandering souls. It gave him great joy to save them. It was as refreshing to him, as is a cluster of grapes to a weary traveler in the weary wilderness, whose lips are parched, and whose eyes have long rested on barrenness, and who hails with satisfaction and delight, the sight of a vine and its juicy grapes. Dr. Livingstone gives an instance of this feeling: "In latitude 18o we were rewarded with a sight which we had not enjoyed for a year before, large patches of grape-bearing vines. There they stood before my eyes." The traveler thus gives utterance to his delight: "The sight was so entirely unexpected that I stood for some time, gazing at the clusters of grapes with which they were loaded, with no more thought of plucking than if I had been beholding them in a dream." Be sure young reader, that the Lord Jesus will welcome your return to him. No fear of his casting you out. No; your coming will be to him as pleasant as are grapes in the wilderness to a traveler; the very sight of your first arising to go, will be as when the eye of the traveler is gladdened by the green leaves and hanging branches of the vine. And surely you cannot do anything more really satisfying to the Lord than bringing others as Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus. You are bringing as it were, grapes to the lips; you are giving strange joy to our God, who waiteth to be gracious. He has infinite pleasure in souls that return to him and live.