One of our fine four legged friends died almost three years ago now, he was a good dog, a wonderful friend, in the times that I was bedridden and ill, he would not leave my side, save for a trip outside to go to the bathroom or a quick bite to eat. Some of my last memories of him are not pleasant though, an old dog, riddled with cancer, standing at the gate of the fence with his favorite ball in his mouth, well-worn after many years, but I was busy and had to go, somewhere that today I cannot even remember. I carried him in my arms to the veterinary clinic on his last day, he could no longer walk, and I watched him be injected with a substance that would slowly stop his heart. Many years of playing ball with him, watching as he brought the stick back for me to throw again for the ten-thousandth time are overrun by these last two painful moments far too often. I miss my friend.
I spoke to a man in the local market several years ago, one who had been terribly ill and had just been released from the hospital. We had not been friends, but acquaintances for many years, and although I cannot tell you definitively how much I witnessed to him of Christ over the years, I can recall our last meeting quite vividly, after explaining to him, among other things, that this particular store we were in just happened to also sell Bibles, and that perhaps it would be wise if not only he purchased one, but also began to study it, his response was “I just want to outlive my money.” He did, he died that night, just a few hours after his last opportunity to repent. Another I spoke with died just a year or so later after we spoke, another young man in his late twenties was killed by a co-worker, these are not rare occurrences in my life.
I will see my four-legged friend again, I will not see those individuals ever again, they have been lost forever. If you want to take the time to try to be someone’s friend, a good companion to one of the lost before you begin to witness to them about Christ, my friend, you go right ahead, but do not expect them to be here tomorrow. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” (Heb. 9:27) and only God Almighty knows that hour, we do not. I have never known which is worse in my mind, a sinner who dies in their sins, or a believer who is too ashamed and embarrassed to speak about the One they call Lord. I am concerned that there are now and will be a lot of people in heaven with their heads hung low, ashamed of who they were for Christ in this life, “I wish I would have” is a commonly heard statement in the kingdom of God my friends.
Many do not stand strong here, they hesitate, they are embarrassed and ashamed before man of the One in private or only within the confines of the church building, the One they call Lord. And then they begin to run the same old, tired, worn out excuses that they have taught themselves to believe over the years, “God knows my heart;” “I didn’t know what to say;” “My mind just drew a blank.” They envision themselves before the Lord on that day of accounting, the Lord Jesus with a big smile on His face, so happy to see them, accepting every excuse as if its normal. Who is going to die first, you or that individual that you have been attempting to witness to, how much longer do either one of you have.
Unprofitable servants should expect no blessings, profitable ones expect suffering, unprofitable servants have no rewards or treasures waiting for them, profitable ones rarely give any thought to those treasures, they are waiting safely at home for them, until that time, there is work to be done. Go ahead and continue to fool yourself, keep believing that all your excuses will hold water with the Lord, that witnessing to the lost and edifying and correcting the saved is not for you, that is not your calling, but you might want to start practicing now the well-worn words that you will hear yourself repeating in heaven for eons to come, “I wish I would have.”
I cannot instill initiative in a man, this poorly written letter is probably not going to alter the course of your walk with Christ, not even God Himself is going to make you grow in His grace and knowledge, only you can do that. With little effort comes little reward, you will reap what you sow, (2 Cor. 9:6) there is no if, and, or buts about the truth. What is reserved in heaven for those who pursue Christ vigorously is not withheld from any, but it will not be given to those who did not serve well here. Every single soul in hell knows for a fact, without question, that Jesus Christ is Lord, that God is Sovereign, and they echo the words of many who live in the kingdom of heaven, “I wish I would have.”
