Here is the story of a father whose heart was heavy because his son had moved to a far away country, and never came back to visit.
Although the father repeatedly invited him, years went by, and the son always had an excuse. At last the father decided to go and visit his son's family. He saved the fare and went by ship. Finally the ship arrived at the dock, and the father eagerly surveyed the waiting crowd, but could not see his son. He waited until last and got off the ship when everyone was gone.
Something must have delayed his son, he thought, so he took the train to the son's town, expecting to see him at the train station there. But no one was waiting to greet him. Now he was worried. Surely something terrible must have happened to his son. He got a taxi to the house, but it was dark and the curtains drawn. He knocked at the door, but there was no reply.
He knocked louder and from inside came a sleepy voice: 'We're all in bed.' 'But I'm your father; I've come a long way to see you.' 'I don't want to get up now. Please go to the hotel across the street and we will see you in the morning.'
The father was so angry that he went back to the station, got a train to the dock and went back home without seeing his son. Can you imagine the remorse, the grief which enveloped the son the next day? He was ever so sorry, but it was too late. He had missed his chance to see his father.
Can you now imagine how often God in Heaven has wanted to visit with you, His creature? How often He has put it into your mind to pray, to read the Bible, to spend just a bit of time with Him each day? Could you find a quiet spot today for a few moments to spend with Him?
You can easily do this now, but the day is coming when it will be too late; you will have missed all the chances. This is an exhortation to spend some time alone with the Lord and I (Pat) am speaking to myself here as well as any readers!
But some of you may not know God at all, or maybe you hope you know Him, but your're not really sure. This is the time to MAKE sure! One day soon the door will be shut and you could be on the wrong side of it.
If you do not know God as your Father, please read the gospel of John. The Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and no one gets to the Father except through knowing Him, Jesus. You may dispute this and you may not like it, but that is how God has arranged things - that you can only come to Him, the Father, through his beloved Son.
It is time to put your faith in Jesus Christ and then you can go to the Father. Perhaps He has been waiting a long time for some of you, but you always had some excuse. Now is the time to take that step of reasonable faith - not a leap in the dark, but a rational decision to acknowledge the Lord Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins. Then the door of Heaven will be wide open and your place secure, and you will have open access to the Father through His Son.
Or then again, you can continue putting off the most important step anyone can ever make - until it is too late. This is so important, and so grim for those who harden their hearts. Not everyone will be saved. Not everyone will go to Heaven. Many will not. Jesus said the way was broad that leads to destruction, and many take that dread path. If you do not know Jesus as your Savior, you are on that broad way, the way to Hell.
Dear reader, you can bow your head right now and ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Lord. He will give you a new life, just as He promised. Or you can stiffen your neck, tell yourself what a good person you are (the Bible says no one is good enough), and march on towards Hell. This may be your last opportunity.
