As we come in contact with so many people in the course of our lives, I wonder how many are weighed down with sorrow or distress of some kind. It is strange how we can pass them, and be totally unaware of their feelings, as they are unaware of ours. However, I am addressing this letter to you, my dear friend, who may be in a situation in which you feel trapped, and you long to find some relief or deliverance from it all.

At times, you must wonder what brought you into this particular situation. I realise that there can be so many different reasons. Some of these reasons may spring from our own carelessness, or some fault of our own or some tragic circumstance that overtakes us. Desperately, we seek some comfort, possibly in drink, drugs or some other indulgence. Nevertheless, the relief that all these bring is temporary and we have to eventually return to reality. It may be that we think we have many friends, and yet we find we have none. There is bound to be a longing for more security, perhaps more money, or a better job. It may well be that we are unemployed and want a job. There is nothing wrong in having these desires but we will soon realise that, even if we have all these things, this is not the real issue. There was an occasion when two of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ saw a man begging, who was also in great physical need. They stopped and looked at him and felt deeply for his plight. They told him that they had no money to give him, but that which they had, they would give. They commanded this man, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be healed. In this particular case, it was a physical affliction which was healed, but there was something far more important that was put right: his relationship with God, in Jesus Christ. He had become rich indeed.

Let me bring to your attention the real issue of our life: the destiny of our immortal soul. This relationship and experience in the Lord Jesus Christ influences our eternal future and our present life. There is an account in the Bible of a poor man who ate the crumbs that fell off the table of a rich man. The rich man knew he was there but totally ignored him. Eventually, they both died and we discover, from the account in the Bible, which of them was truly rich: the poor man had greater riches in his soul and found himself in Heaven, whilst the rich man found himself to be spiritually poor and found himself in Hell. Of course, I’m not advocating riches or poverty but, more importantly, our relationship with God.

Let me explain this to you. You know that you have a body which you can touch and feel, but one day it will die. Did you know that you also have a soul, and that is the real you? Even if you are old, your inner person does not feel old. The reason for this is that the soul does not age and cannot die. It lives forever. The important issue is the eternal destiny of the precious immortal soul that you have in your little body.

What have I to give you? I could offer financial help to you which, I am sure, would be acceptable. I must tell you, however, that I have better things to share with you. It is a gift from the eternal God that will enrich your soul. God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to rescue your dear soul. You see, we are all sinners, yes, all of us, and we do not deserve the favour of God. Then who will help us? The Lord Jesus Christ, in His Person, was both God and Man, and He came to do something that had been planned before time began. The Lord Jesus came into this world to die, in order that we might live. Let me explain: His death was a special death and had profound meaning. The Lord Jesus Christ was sinless, yet He stood in the place of sinners and took our punishment in our place. He paid the price in full for our past sins, our present sins and our future sins.  He took all the blame and the shame upon Himself.  What will you do? What can you do?  Do you want to know how to approach Him, to receive the benefits of this forgiveness of sins and for heaven to be your future? Perhaps you are familiar with these words:

‘When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride’.

You do not come to God telling Him that you are a nice sinner, or that you are not so bad. You come to God exactly as you are and ask Him to have mercy on your soul. If this cry is from your heart, He will surely hear you, for He has promised to do so in the Bible. My friend, it has to be a heart cry. That cry will enter the heart of God and lay hold of His love. You will find yourself believing and knowing that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

Once you have settled this matter, you are a new person. You have started a new life, even on this earth. The Bible puts it like this: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’ (2 Corinthians 5.17). You will find that you have a Saviour, who is your Lord, your Guide and your Friend. You will never be lonely again, even if everyone else forgets you, or does not have the patience to listen to you. The Lord Jesus will always stop and listen and comfort and help. It is my earnest wish, my dear friend, that this greatest gift of all will be yours.  This is the real issue - your relationship with God.