It was Saturday morning. It was also the last day of the month, which meant that it was the last day for many people to have their cars inspected. As we drove down Wheaton Avenue, we saw a long line of cars waiting along the side of the road. There were new cars and old cars, big cars and small cars, cars with one person in them and cars with whole families inside. All of them were there for one purpose—to get through the inspection station before it closed at 1:00 that afternoon.
As we crossed the next street, we looked down that long block and saw more cars waiting in line. The owners had all waited until the last minute to take their cars in for the yearly inspection. Most of us have done the very same thing—waited until the last minute to do something when we’ve had plenty of notice.
I’m too busy to do that school project right now. Anyway, there’s another whole week before it’s due.
Early this week Dad asked me to cut the grass since we’ll be gone for the weekend. What’s the rush? Think I’ll wait till Friday afternoon.
Mom told me to clean up my room ... but she didn’t say when.
God has warned us that our sins will keep us out of heaven. It’s a matter that each of us should settle with Him right now. But we always have excuses. I’m too busy. What’s the rush? He didn’t say when. But God does have a deadline. And there is a terribly serious penalty for anyone who misses it. “Cast ye that unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:3030And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)).
As we passed that long line of cars at 10:30 in the morning, Earl just shook his head. “Those cars have at least a four-hour wait, and the deadline is 1:00.” Some of those people were not going to make it through the inspection station before it closed. They had waited too long to come. They had let many days go by with one excuse or another. Now they would have to pay a penalty.
The matter of your sins is far too important to put off for any reason. God has not told us exactly when His deadline is. He has told us that His Son Jesus will be returning soon (no date given) to take back to heaven with Him all who have been cleansed from their sins. He warns us, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man [Jesus] cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:4040Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Luke 12:40)).
Are you ready? Have you been cleansed from your sins? If not, why are you waiting? The Lord Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, paying the penalty for the sins of every person who will accept Him as his or her Saviour. If you will come to Him now, you won’t have to pay the penalty for your sins. But if you wait any longer, you may be too late. God’s deadline could be today!
Those drivers waited too long! Don’t you wait too long!
ML-11/27/2011