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Canon Wilberforce tells a pathetic story illustrating the force of this little word "now." It was of a miner who, hearing the gospel preached, determined that, if the promised blessing of immediate salvation were indeed true, he would not leave the presence of the minister who was declaring it until assured of its possession by himself. He waited, consequently, after the meeting to speak with the minister, and, in his untutored way, said, "Didn't ye say I could have the blessin' now?" "Yes, my friend." "Then pray with me, for I'm not goin' awa' wi'out it." And they did pray, these two men, wrestling in prayer until midnight, like Jacob at Penuel, until the wrestling miner heard silent words of comfort and cheer, even as Jacob heard the angel's announcement, "As a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." "I've got it now!" cried the miner, his face reflecting the joy within; " I've got it now!" The next day a terrible accident occurred at the mines — one of those accidents which so frequently shock us with their horror merely in the reading of them. The same minister was called to the scene, and among the men, dead and dying, was the quivering, almost breathless body of this man, who only the night before, big and brawny, came to him to know if salvation could really be had now for the asking. There was but a fleeting moment of recognition between the two, ere the miner's soul took flight, but in that moment he had time to say, in response to the minister's sympathy, "Oh, I don't mind, for I've got it — I've got it — it's mine!" Then the name of this poor man went into the bald list of " killed." There was no note made of the royal inherit-ante to which he had but a few hours before come into possession, and all by his believing grip of the word "now."

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KJV: And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

WEB: The man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob said, "I won't let you go, unless you bless me."