


                    THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
  Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
  But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folk?" he cried,
  "Who'll start the bidding for me?
"A dollar -- a dollar -- then two, only two --
  "Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
"Going for three" -- but no --
  From the room far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
  Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
  He played a melody pure and sweet
  As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
  With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "NOW what am I bid for the old violin?"
  And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars -- and who'll make it two?
  "Two thousand -- and who'll make it three?
"Three thousand once -- three thousand twice --
  "And going -- and gone," cried he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
  "We do not understand.
"What changed its worth?"  Quick came the reply,
  "The touch of the Master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
  And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap, to a thoughtless crowd,
  Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage" -- a glass of wine,
  A game -- and he travels on:
He is going once -- and going twice --
  He's going -- and almost gone!
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
  Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
  By the touch of the Master's hand.

                  by Myra Brooks


     The MASTER'S hand is the only hand that can transform the soul.  This
very moment the Lord Jesus Christ is waiting to  turn your darkness into  day,
your sorrow into joy.

     Hear  His call:  "Come now and let us  reason together...though your
sins be as scarlet,  they shall be as  white as snow. (1)

     Have  more  wonderful  words  ever been spoken?  God wants to cleanse
your life  from sin and give you a new  life of  hope and joy.   He does not
ask you to change your life yourself.   He asks you  to  come to Him just as
you  are.  His Word promises:  "The blood of Jesus Christ  His Son cleanseth
us  from  all sin." (2)

     But  first you must trust  totally upon God's mercy.  You cannot depend
on your "good works" to gain entrance into Heaven.   For  before  God we  are
all sinners.  "There is none righteous, no, not one...For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God." (3)

     There  is only one way,  one  door through  which we can enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus said: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in,  he
shall be saved." (4)

     Jesus made the way for you and  me by  dying  on the cross for your
sins: "He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and  with his stripes we  are  healed." (5)    You   can  receive
the   risen victorious  Lord Jesus Christ by  faith now:  "If  thou shalt
confess with  thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from  the dead,  thou shalt be  saved."
(6)

     Why hold back any longer?  Come to the Master today.




BIBLE REFERENCES:

(1)  Isaiah 1:18
(2)  1 John 1:7
(3)  Romans 3:10
(4)  John 10:9
(5)  Isaiah 53:5
(6)  Romans 10:9


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