Malcolm was really worried. He was the owner of a service station, and there had been a wave of station robberies in his area. So he decided to outwit the thieves by taking his cash box home.
Finally the burglars did get around to Malcolm’s station, just as he had feared. But when he went to investigate, he was happy to find that they did not get anything more valuable than a few cases of oil.
He went home again, congratulating himself on his cleverness, and got the surprise of his life. The burglars had preceded him. They guessed that he had taken his cash box home, and when he left to check on the robbery at the station they entered his home and took his box of money, along with every other valuable they could see. Malcolm had not prevented the thieves’ success; he had only postponed it for a little while.
Like these burglars, death is making his rounds and carrying off people out of this life, and multitudes are losing their most precious possession-their immortal souls.
Some people think they can outwit death. Every time they have some little illness they rush to the doctor to be healed. They make every effort to ward off death, and for years they may succeed. But no matter how you work and plan, you cannot outwit death. The doctor may be able to help you this time, and he may help a dozen times, but when death finally makes contact, no doctor on earth can help you.
Death has a claim on every human being, because “the wages of sin is death.” As we have all sinned, so we have all earned those wages. “As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9:27-2827And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:27‑28)).
Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ paid a fearful price for you when He died for you on the cross. Now, if you will turn to Him and really trust in His sacrifice there for you, then all your sins will be forgiven and put away from you forever. Then you can say, “Oh death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:5555O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:55)).
Why not trust Him now?
DECEMBER