Let the Thing Be Pressed

On April 7, 1865 the armies led by U.S. Grant were chasing down Robert E. Lee's forces. If those forces could be captured it would effectively mean the end of the Civil War. Lee was still not ready to surrender, holding out hope he could escape the growing Union stranglehold. At ten o’clock that morning Grant received a simple telegram from the commander in chief. It read:

Gen. Sheridan says “If the thing is pressed I think that Lee will surrender.” Let the thing be pressed. A. LINCOLN

So Grant pressed for surrender and two days later, Lee surrendered to General Grant, in the town of Appomattox Court House, thus ended four years of Civil War.

For several years various Generals had Lee on the run, only to delay and let him escape to continue the fight. That’s why Lincoln words were so necessary. The thing needed to be pressed

What needs to be pressed in your life today? A friend needing to be told the Gospel, a slight forgiven, a sin repented of, a wrong righted.

When we put off and delay things of consequence, we may never get another chance.

Let the thing be pressed!

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Ecclesiastes 12:10

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