Thought for the Week from Rev David McMillan, Free Presbyterian Church - ​God is the most important discovery

​Then in 1840 at the age of 28, he succeeded James Hamilton as the professor of medicine and midwifery at the same university.

Dr Simpson also ran a free medical dispensary for the poor of Carrubbers’ Close mission on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. In the course of his lifetime Sir James made many important discoveries. In 1847, he discovered that chloroform could be used as an anaesthetic and would render people insensible to all pain during surgery.

There are those who would claim that this was one of the most significant discoveries of modern medicine. It meant that people could go through the most dangerous operations without the fear of pain and suffering.

Many years later, Dr Simpson was lecturing at Edinburgh University. During these classes, one of the students inquired: “What do you consider to be the most valuable discovery of your lifetime?” The young man had expected Sir James to refer to his break-through with chloroform, but he didn’t.

The student doctor was surprised at the reply that he received because Dr. Simpson, who was brought up on the Bible and the Shorter Catechism, informed him: “My most valuable discovery was when I discovered myself a sinner and that Jesus Christ was my Saviour”.

This is his testimony in Dr Simpson's own words: “I saw another sight – it matters not when – myself a sinner standing on the brink of ruin, deserving nought but hell. For one sin? No; for many sins committed against the unchanging laws of God. But again, I looked and saw Jesus, my substitute, scourged in my stead and dying on the cross for me. I looked and cried and was forgiven. And it seems to be my duty to tell you of that Saviour, to see if you will not also look and live”.

Have you ever made this greatest of all discoveries? There will be many truths that you will have discovered about life and yourself. But have you discovered that you are a wretched sinner, in need of Jesus Christ as your Saviour? It is vitally important that you do, because unless you see that this is your condition before God you can never experience His salvation.

The Bible clearly teaches that the first step on the road to Heaven for every person is to see your own sin and to confess it to God. "Cry out today with the publican, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner" (St Luke 18:13).