Traveling home from the city one night, two men were talking together. One was setting before his friend “the way of life.” Earnestly he urged his companion to receive God’s gift of eternal life and to turn to Jesus who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
Finally the listener turned his head away and, as he told his friend good-bye, exclaimed in irritation, “You go your way: I will go mine!”
The young man had chosen his own way, refused to accept God’s way, and continued his journey along “the ways of death.”
That same week he again took the train to the city, spent some hours there, and returned by the last train at night. On his way from the city he fell asleep, and slept so soundly that he did not awake when the train stopped at his station. The signal was given, and the train began to roll out of the station.
A sudden jerk aroused the sleeper. He discovered that the train was moving away from the station where he intended to get off. He jumped up, rushed to the door, leaped out, was caught by the wheels, and instantly was crushed to death.
His lifeless body was picked up and cared for, but what of his soul? “You go your way: I will go mine” had been his response to the last offer of God’s grace he is known to have had. Think of it! Awakened from sleep, and hurled in a moment into eternity!
Sooner or later all must pass into eternity. It will matter little how comfortable loving hands can make the deathbed, or how sudden and violent may be the end of life. The all-important questions will be: Are your sins forgiven? Have you eternal life? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you saved?
“Today if ye will hear His voice,
harden not your heart.”