The doctor was puzzled. He hardly knew what to tell me. He knew I was very sick, and I felt sorry for the doctor’s indecision. I thought I would relieve him of his difficulty by asking: “What do you think, doctor? Tell me honestly if you think I am going to die. I must know.”
Hesitantly, the doctor replied: “To tell you the honest truth, unless you take a decided turn for the better within the next hour, I do not think you can last more than two or three hours.”
“Thank you for telling me,” I answered. “Now, please leave me by myself. Come back to see me at the end of the hour.”
I was very ill and in a foreign land, far from home and loved ones. From my earliest years I had determined to enjoy life in my own way. As for my soul and eternity, I had resolved that I would cry to God for mercy on my deathbed. “And now,” I said to myself after the doctor had left, “the time has come at last. It came sooner than I thought, and I have only an hour or two to cry for mercy.”
I lay quiet for a few moments to compose myself. A quarter of an hour slipped by. My thoughts flew to my home, and I wondered how those I loved would hear of my death.
I again glanced at the clock. Only twenty minutes left! How did one cry to God for mercy? What words should I use?
Strength was failing. I could not collect my thoughts. Making a desperate effort I pulled myself on to my knees. With stammering lips I said: “Our Father which art - ” but I could go no further. Helpless, wordless, I fell down upon my bed in terror. What a realization! On my deathbed it was too late to cry to God for mercy. I sank into oblivion.
It pleased God to spare my life. He brought me back from the brink of death and gave me another opportunity to learn of Him in the land of the living. Soon I was listening to the good news of free and full salvation. The preacher pointed out that this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
For the first time I learned that if one came as a sinner to Christ, believing in Him, trusting in Him, that very moment Christ would receive him. However weak and sinful he might be, a gracious and merciful God would give him everlasting life.
The preacher said, “Now is the accepted time . . . now is the day of salvation. There is no promise of salvation tomorrow - there may be no tomorrow!”
It flashed across my mind, “How foolish to delay!” Through grace I came to Christ and as a guilty, lost sinner I accepted His wonderful offer of mercy. Since that moment I have been blessed with the assurance of my perfect safety for time and eternity.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
You also may have this great salvation. God offers it to you. Will you not take it now? v