The First to Meet the King

‘ For thy servant doth know that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to meet my lord the king.’—2 Sam. xix. 20.
YES, I have sinned. I know that I have sinned. Whether I feel it more or less does not touch the fact: I know it. And what then ? ‘ Therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all . . . to meet my Lord the King.’
Just because I know that I have sinned, I come to Jesus. He came to call sinners, He came to save sinners, so He came to call and to save me.  This is all my desire.’

1 2 Sam. iii. i8. 2 Rev. xxii. 19. 3 Matt. ix. 29.
* Matt. ix. 13. 6 I Tim. i. 15. * 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

Just because I know that have sinned, I may and must come ‘the first of all.’ Thousands are coming, but the heart knoweth his own bitterness. So, not waiting for others, not coming in order, but ‘first of all,’ by the pressure of my sore need of pardon, I come. There is no waiting for one’s turn in coming to Jesus.
‘The first of all,’ because it is against my lord the King ‘ that I have sinned. I am His servant, so I have the greater sin. ‘ The first of all, because I have so much to be forgiven, and have already been forgiven so much, that I must, I do, love much;^ and love, even of a sorrowing sinner, seeks nearness, and cannot rest in distance.*
‘Therefore,’ also, ‘I am come this day.’ I dare not and could not wait till to-morrow. No need to wait, even till to-night! Now ! He is passing by, and I must ‘ haste to meet’ Him. ‘ While he is near,’  I will tell Him all.
I am come to meet Him, not merely to go to Him f for He is always coming to meet us. He was on His way before I had said, ‘I will arise and go.’ I come, because He comes to me.
Yet I could not come with this terrible knowledge that I have sinned, but that I know something more. I know that He hath said, ‘ Come unto me ‘ I know that He hath said, ‘ Him that cometh I will in no wise cast out.’ This is enough; therefore I am come to my Lord the King.
Not to His servants, but to Himself. Even those who stand near Him may accuse and condemn, but the King Himself will receive me graciously; for with Him there is forgiveness, and mercy, and plenteous redemption.

1 Prov. xiv. lo. 2 Ps. cxvi. i6.  Luke vii. 47.
Col. ii. 13. 6 Matt. XX. 30.  2 Sam. xix. 16.
7 Isa. Iv. 6. 8 Zech. ix. 9. » Luke xv. i8.
10 Matt. xi. 28. n John vi. 37.

And though the oath of an earthly sovereign may be broken, my King (in glorious contrast to the imperfect human type) ‘keepeth His promise for ever.’ His covenant will He not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of His lips. Therefore the eternal life which He hath promised me is secured to me forever, for He hath said, ‘ I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.’