Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
Psalm 32:1.
Willie was an elderly pedlar who was well liked, not only for the wares that he sold, but also for all the news he had to tell. People used to greet him like a close friend with, “What’s the news, Willie?” But then followed a period when Willie felt uneasy. He not only felt his rucksack weighing down on his shoulders, but a great burden on his conscience, too. He knew very little of the Bible, but he sensed that God would not allow him to get away with it. What was he to do? For a long time Willie constantly pondered over this question and became very worried. Then one day on entering a house he heard someone reading from the Bible: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Willie went closer and asked if that applied to everyone. “Yes,” the reader answered, “It is for all who believe in the Lord Jesus.” – “Can we pray that I might be one of them?” asked Willie. And in those important moments followed the prayer of a sinner turning to God. That day Willie listened in astonishment as the good news of Christ was explained to him. Thankfully and joyfully he accepted Him as his Redeemer.
Whenever the customary question, “What’s the news, Willie?” was asked after that, he replied, “I have great news to tell: there is no condemnation to those who believe in the Lord Jesus.” Taken aback, people asked him what he meant by that. Then he would tell the old, yet ever new message of Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners.