April 11, 2011
I had to work the first Sunday of 2011, but Rob had shared with me that Pastor Doug had given his regular New Year's sermon which included the unsettling fact that some of us this year would be affected by death, possibly even our own death and to consider seriously where we were with Jesus Christ and what we were living our lives for. The thought never crossed our minds that it would be our son that would not make it to 2012.
Just a couple of days after Trent died Rob ran into a coworker at the grocery store who of course offered her condolences and was so sorry for us. Rob shared our joy that Trent was in heaven because of the salvation offered through Jesus on the cross and asked where she would be had she died. Then she was in a hurry and had to get going.
She came to the funeral and heard the gospel preached several times, the sweet words of the offer of eternity in heaven if we repent and surrender our lives to the Lord. This woman had just come out of a long battle with cancer that it appeared she had overcome so the thought of death had been on her mind for several months already. She was one of the many that we had been praying for salvation as she sat in the pews listening to the message that day. Rob finished the celebration by laying out the gospel clearly one more time and told the 400 and some people that it could be a possibility that the next time he saw them they would be the one in the coffin.
On Friday, just weeks after Trent's accident and hearing the gospel so many times, this lady finished off her work day and told her co-workers "See you on Monday". But she is not coming back to work today because she died suddenly over the weekend. No warning, just gone.
Gone to face her maker who graciously warned her repeatedly to call on His name. Gone without any evidence that she ever took the time to stop running and call on Jesus' name. The time is so short and hearts get so hard so fast. How we are burdened for those who have heard our message but choose to deny Christ or put it off until tomorrow to decide. Today, if you hear His voice beckoning with salvation, do not delay. There are no guarantees of tomorrow. Eternity is a long time. Praying that God may choose to bless you with salvation today.
