Who could possibly picture the real, the entire result of disregarding this double message? Upon you the urgent message is still pressed, while thousands of thousands are forever beyond its reach. Will you not heed it instantly? The following may remind you of the necessity of this.
About nine o’clock one evening last May, in South Africa, about two miles from where the writer lives, M. M—, a strong, healthy young fellow of twenty-two years, was accompanying a merry party of friends on a hunting-trip. They were traveling by ox-wagon, of which M. M—had charge.
The night was dark. Hearing another wagon approaching, M. M—jumped off his own, no doubt with the intention of avoiding a collision; but as he did so the large back wheel of the passing vehicle caught him in the chest, and he was terribly crushed by both wagons. Being nighttime, it was almost two hours before his friends could extricate his poor mangled body. True, they eventually managed to do it, but all too late.
Death, no doubt, had been instantaneous.
If the truth had to be told, probably that young man was as really entangled in the web of pleasure seeking before his accident as by the heavy wagon-wheels after. If so, death took him out of that web more quickly than his friends extricated his poor body.
His case we must leave, but what about the reader’s? Does such a web hold him? Does he feel how unavailing are the efforts to deliver himself? Then there is only one thing for it. Cry to the Lord. Cry aloud. Cry at once. Cry in real earnest. You know as little what awaits you as M. M—and his merry party knew the time and spot where the fatal wheel would meet him. All too late his friends extricated him, but the Lord can deliver you instantly, and He is inviting you to accept His deliverance. “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:1414For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. (Job 33:14)). To you probably He has spoken, and spoken more than once or twice; yet you have never heeded His warning, winning voice. Pause and consider before it is too late. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). “God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:3030And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (Acts 17:30)). Think of these twice four words:
“GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE.”
“GOD COMMANDS TO REPENT.”
What does it mean? Why, just this. “God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:1111Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)); and that in order to make known His love, and declare His attitude towards this poor world, “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)).
Will you today, confessing your need of Him, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the proof of this love, or will you wait until the wheels of time shall push you suddenly out of your web of pleasure into a tomorrow of endless remorse? THINK!
“Life is earnest; when ’tis o’er,
Thou returnest never more:
Soon to meet Eternity,
Wilt thou never serious be?”
H. H. T.