There are times when general apathy prevails; when it appears
impossible to rouse the people to anything like an appreciation of
the things of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ; when
the hearts of the people appear to be closed against all that can be
said or done to save them. They frequently hear at such times, act as
orderly as ever, and show as much respect to the gospel; but they do
not have the heart and soul in it, and can not be _moved to action_.
Their emotional nature appears to be utterly inaccessible. There are
again times when the hearts of the people are open. They not only hear
the truth, pay a decent respect to it and admire its beauties, but,
with joy, they receive it into good and honest hearts, believe it to be
the salvation of their souls. It melts them down, fills their hearts
to overflowing and moves them to obedience. This much we know to be
_fact_. We have tried to see the cause of this fact, but do not claim
that we can see the cause, nor do we see any particular importance in
seeing the cause, but we ought to turn the _fact to account_. How can
this be done?
Paul has a period, or state of things, that he styles “in season,” and
another that he styles “out of season.” There is a time to sow and a
time to reap, a time to dress the vineyard and a time to gather the
fruit. These periods, when the hearts of the people are open, are the
harvest times—the time for gathering in the ripe grain ready for the
harvest—for turning sinners to the Lord. No matter about the cause
of it; there is the _opportunity_; and we should be ready and go into
the harvest and gather precious souls into the fold of Christ. A door
is now open and let no man waste his time about the _cause of this
opening_, but while the way is open go up and possess the land. Never
mind explaining _how_ the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she
attended to the words spoken by Paul, nor _how_ the Lord now is opening
the hearts of the people; it is enough for the man of God to find that
the hearts of the people _are open_, and that they will attend to the
word of the Lord when it is spoken. Go on and speak to them the word of
the Lord—the words of everlasting life—turn them to God and save them.