What means this throbbing in my breast?
This constant search for peace and rest?
This loneliness I feel?
Even when I mingle with the crowd
This aching void is deep and loud;
Its cry is real! So real!
Vain World, can you appease this quest?
Do your vast stores supply this rest?
Then quell this longing cry!
Lo! Riches, laughter, pride, and fame,
When claimed, are merely but a name!
They fail to satisfy!
Ah, ‘tis my soul! It is thy cry!
Thou seest eternal death is nigh,
Unless God gives thee rest?
Entombed, thou art a part of Him;
And hence, you seek release from sin,
To dwell with Him at last!
Oh! I am wretched! I’m lost in sin!
Estranged from God is my soul within!
Have mercy, Lord on me!
Hark! Hark! A voice now calls my name:
“Dear Sinner, I have borne your blame:
I shed my blood for thee!
To those who come, I give sweet rest,
A quietness within the breast;
'Tis found alone in Me.”
I’m coming, Lord, I’m coming now!
Low at Thy cross I gladly bow;
I bring my all to Thee!
Sweet peace is mine at Calvary!
My burden flees, my soul is free!
(Here would I ever stay!)
Yes, Jesus stills that hidden cry;
My soul has now a home on high,
And waits for that great day!
You may be acquainted with this hidden cry if Jesus does not control your heart. You may not altogether understand this yearning. It’s your soul crying out for God. He made it, and it reaches out for Him. “Man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). That soul shall live on and on—eternally.
There is a great restlessness sweeping over the face of the earth; much running to and fro (Daniel 12:4). A confusing and foolish search for pleasure prevails instead of man turning earnestly to God for the answer to his soul’s quest. Many men and women, boys and girls give up honesty and decency with the vain hope of satisfying this aching void within. In their attempt to fill this emptiness, it is natural for people to pursue “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). It is sad to think that thousands, even millions, are being led farther and farther into Satan’s great trap with these lusts. At the last day they will face the piercing truth that Satan was a deceiver and that sinful, carnal living was only an illusion. At the end of life’s way they will be cast into the fiery pit of hell. In hell! There they will suffer untold torment and agony through the never-ending ages of eternity. (See also Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15; 21:8)
Today is still the day of grace, the time when sinners can come to the Lord for forgiveness. Today, if your heart is throbbing and crying out for peace and rest, turn to Him whom your soul loves. Sin separates us from God, but there is One who can save you—Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). He longs to save you. He alone can give you rest of heart and mind. He so tenderly invites “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Jesus suffered and died on the cross to redeem our souls (1 Peter 2:24). We were the guilty ones! Justice demanded that each of us should die—even the eternal death. But because of this redemption, death shall be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Jesus was the innocent “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He loved the souls of men so much that He was willing to leave his Father’s throne with all its glories and come to this earth. Jesus lived here as a man and then gave his life on the cross. He shed his blood to atone for our sins. “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).
Many people think that they will be saved simply because they believe in Jesus. Truly, we must believe in Him, but “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Jesus Himself said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Your soul may be restless, and you may fear eternity because of sin in your heart. Come to Jesus with your whole heart and ask Him to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Sin cannot enter heaven. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). But take courage! “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
As you read these words you may feel the Spirit of God knocking so gently at your heart. Come to Jesus now! He is ready to forgive and to deliver you from the bondage of sin and fear.
To answer God’s call, open your heart to Him. Acknowledge that you are a helpless sinner, and that you are eternally lost. Believe that your only hope is in Jesus, who suffered and died for your sins. This will bring a deep sorrow for your sins. As you repent and make a full commitment to God, He will forgive you. You will feel a calmness and peace that will satisfy the cry in your heart. It is important to follow in obedience as the Holy Spirit begins to direct your life. He will lead you to confess your sins and make restitution where necessary. This is the new birth Jesus speaks of in John 3:3.
A born-again person receives a new nature, new desires, and a heart filled with God’s love. Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, abides in the heart of a born-again person, and the longing of the soul is satisfied. He has fellowship with his Maker! As he remains humble and obedient to the still small voice of the Spirit of God, he will be led in the way that leads to eternal bliss.
May we make the plea once more? Won’t you come to Jesus today? Do not muffle the hidden cry any longer! In a world of confusion and turmoil where sin is rampant on every side, you can have sweet peace and rest!