Charlotte Eliott was born in Brighton in 1789. For thirty years her life was a very happy one.  Known as ‘carefree Charlotte,’ she was a popular portrait artist and a writer of humorous verse. Her happiness, however, was not to last.  At the age of thirty a serious illness made her an invalid for life. She repeatedly suffered from physical pain and emotional distress. Listless and depressed, everything seemed dark to her.  Her heart was full of hatred for everything in life.

 

When Charlotte had suffered for three years in this way, her father invited a Swiss pastor called Dr. Caesar Malan to his house, hoping that he would help to bring his daughter out of depression.  Sensing Charlotte’s spiritual distress, Malan said to her, ‘You are full of despair and hatred of life. Do you want to be set free from that? Do you long for real peace?  Unless you trust in Christ you will never find it.’ For the first time Charlotte listened with attention but asked, ‘How can I have peace with my depression…?’

 

That night she was troubled, restless, and could not sleep. Eventually she knelt beside her bed and prayed.

 

 A few weeks later, she saw Dr. Malan and said, ‘Actually I would like to go to Christ, but I do not know how to find him.’  Dr. Malan looked at her and said, ‘Come just as you are!… You must come just as you are - a sinner - to Jesus, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  Leave behind all your fears, anger, hatred and pride.  He will take your burdens upon himself and fill your heart with great love and peace…’

 

Following that conversation, Charlotte placed her trust in Jesus Christ.  She asked him to come into her heart as her Saviour and Lord, and to take away the anger and pride that were ruling her life. From that day on, Charlotte became a new person. Although her physical suffering continued until her death at the age of eighty-two, she was sustained by an inner peace and joy that was far deeper than the superficial happiness she had known before her illness. Fourteen years after her conversion, she wrote a hymn entitled, ‘Just as I am.’ 

 

 

This is what she wrote:

 

Just as I am, without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come.

 

In 1937 a young man sat in a meeting where someone was talking about Jesus.  His thoughts were troubled.  At the end of the sermon, the preacher asked, ‘Will anyone here trust in Jesus and give his life to him?’  While the young man was resisting the words, a choir started singing another verse of Charlotte’s hymn:

 

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings and fears within, without,

O Lamb of God, I come.

 

 

These words reached the young man’s heart…The barriers he had set up were taken away.  He trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, asking for forgiveness and a new life. This young man was none other than the famous evangelist Billy Graham. Later, wherever he talked to people about Jesus, he used Charlotte’s hymn.

 

Friend… Is Jesus living in your heart?  Perhaps you are going through problems similar to those suffered by Charlotte Elliott.  Come to Jesus just as you are!  He has promised, “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28).

 
As you respond in faith, you will find all that you need in him.  He has all the resources of heaven and earth at his command.  By his power you can bear any burden.  Listen to what Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let  it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

 

Will you go to Jesus for that peace?  Will you accept his free offer of forgiveness and hope? Whatever horrible things you have done or have been done to you in the past… go to him, for he is always there to hear us when we call.  Go to him just as you are and ask,

 

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind:

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,

Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,

O Lamb of God, I come.