Almost persuaded

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Almost thou 
persuades me to be a Christian.”

And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” – Acts 26.28-32

Agrippa was amazed at Paul’s challenge. He was even convicted. He said the terribly sad words ‘almost you persuade me to become a Christian.’ That little world ‘almost’ in that context must be one of the saddest words I have ever read. Almost is where so many people live today that I have shared the gospel with. I have seen far too many get to the ‘almost’ but not go any further and is break my heart.

I could try to wax eloquent but waxing eloquent is not my strong point. Instead let me just share the words that P.P. Bliss wrote some 150 years ago:

“Almost persuaded,” now to believe;

“Almost persuaded,” Christ to receive;

Seems now some soul to say,

“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,

Some more convenient day

On Thee I’ll call.”

 “Almost persuaded,” come, come today;

“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;

Jesus invites you here,

Angels are ling’ring near,

Prayers rise from hearts so dear,

O wand’rer, come.

 “Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!

“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!

“Almost” cannot avail;

“Almost” is but to fail!

Sad, sad, that bitter wail,

“Almost,” but lost.

Are there any sadder words than ‘almost, but lost?’