...will you come?
Self-Evident Truth #4:
We are eternal spiritual beings. Only that which is spiritual is of eternal lasting value. I once read a book by Bruce Larson where he commented that the Bible is not primarily a book of theology, although it contains a lot of theology. He said the Bible is not primarily a book of history or prophecy, although it obviously contains a lot of history and prophecy. As I read, to be honest, I began to wonder, “What’s left?” He then pointed out that the Bible is primarily a book of relationships: one’s relationship with God, with one’s neighbor, and with oneself, and that if we miss the relational , we have missed what life and the Bible are all about. Speaking candidly, as a hospice chaplain, the greatest sadness I feel in working with terminally ill patients is not the death of the patient. It is seeing the tragedy of wasted lives; of witnessing the devastating consequences brought about by the bad choices some people have made throughout their lives as they have pursued their own self interests apart from God. It tears my heart out when I listen to people like the man I spoke with earlier today who wept as he lamented the many “wasted years” of his life, when he could have known God, but, out of rebellion, had chosen to bully his way through life with disastrous results. He had a failed marriage, and now had terminal throat cancer because of years of smoking or chewing tobacco. Thankfully, he made his peace with God a few years ago, but he cannot bring back the many wasted years. Others waste a whole lifetime. It saddens me when I see patients who not only don’t understand the spiritual, they haven’t a clue. Some of them don’t even know that they don’t know. They are spiritually in the dark with no hunger for God. With only days or weeks to live, they will soon be taking life’s final exam before Almighty God, and they come with empty hands, empty hearts, and empty lives–totally unprepared. They somehow hope that God will grade on the curve and not hold them accountable for their foolish choices and their stubborn self-will. The good news for some of them, and the most redeeming part about my job, is that I can tell them that it is never too late to make peace with God. There is still hope. According to scripture, while God doesn’t grade on the curve, Jesus took the test for them (and for you and me). If they will humble themselves, and ask for God’s forgiveness, which is free for all who will place their faith in Christ (John 1:12;3:16, I John 5:11-13, Ephesians 2:8-9), then Jesus will trade His test scores for theirs. Instead of flunking, God will mark down a perfect score (Romans 4:7-8).—God’s grace and mercy in accepting such people still amazes me. I was visiting with a patient, an old hillbilly-sort of fellow who lived in an old farm house back in the Ozark hills. He’d not been to church in over seventy years. I asked him, “John
[not his real name], this is a big question, but how are you doing spiritually? Do you feel at peace with God?” He responded, “No, I think I’m going to that other place [hell].” I then asked him if he’d heard the story Jesus told about the prodigal son (Luke 15). He said, “No.” So, I proceeded to tell him the story of the young man who took his share of his father’s inheritance and left home at an early age, where he proceeded to waste all his money on wild living: wine, women, and song. Then, Jesus said, a famine hit the land and before long the young lad hit bottom. Mustering his courage, he decided to return to his father, like a dog with its tail between its legs, totally whipped. The Bible says that while the young man was still a ways from home, the father (representing God) saw him, ran to him, hugged and kissed him, put a ring on his finger, a robe on his back, killed the fatted calf, and threw a party. I told John, “Do you know that, to my knowledge, the only time the image is ever used of God running in the Bible, is when He ran to that son, hugged him, and welcomed himhome?” Then I said, “John, if you want to know how God feels about you, that’s it. It is never too late. Better late than never.” Then I asked, “John, are you ready to come home? Are you willing to come back to God?” He thought it over and finally said, “Yes.”—I then shared a prayer of commitment with him and invited him to pray along with me, which he did. Two days later he died. I fully expect to see him when I get to heaven. The prayer I shared with him went something like this: “Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You for loving me. I am sorry for the sin, and pride, and lack of trust that has kept me from You. I believe You died on the cross and rose again to pay for my sin which has separated me from You. As best as I know how, right now, I place my life in Your hands. I invite You to come into my life. Forgive me of my sin and make me the person You want me to be. Calm my fears, carry my burdens, and open my heart to receive Your love. Thank You for hearing this prayer. Amen.” By now it should be self-evident to you that eternal issues are at stake (for all of us). If, for whatever reason, you have never seriously considered entering into a relationship with God, or, through denial or avoidance, you have blocked God and eternal issues out of your mind, may I encourage you to please reconsider. The God I know is not only awesomely powerful and holy, the Creator and Judge before whom you will one day stand, God is also a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness who invites you to come to his party—which will last for all eternity. C.S. Lewis states, and I totally agree, “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” Oh the joy that awaits those who know and love God. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). The question is “Will you come?”—There is no single question of greater importance that you will ever have to answer in this lifetime. You’ve received God’s invitation. What will your response be? d
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