In fact, Jesus told one story that gives us just a glimpse
of what is in store for people when they pass from this land of the living into
eternity albeit this story was told by Jesus prior to His crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension.
Take a moment to read His story out loud to yourself from
Luke 16:19-31 in the Voice—
There was this rich
man who had everything—purple clothing of fine quality and high fashion,
gourmet meals every day, and a large house.
Just outside his front gate lay this poor homeless fellow named Lazarus.
Lazarus was covered in ugly skin lesions.
He was so hungry he wished he could scavenge scraps from the rich man’s
trash. Dogs would come and lick the sores on his skin. The poor fellow died and was carried on the
arms of the heavenly messengers to the embrace of Abraham. Then the rich fellow
died and was buried and found himself in the place of the dead. In his torment,
he looked up, and off in the distance he saw Abraham, with Lazarus in his
embrace. He shouted out, “Father Abraham! Please show me mercy! Would you send
that beggar Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue? These
flames are hot, and I’m in agony!” But Abraham said, “Son, you seem to be
forgetting something: your life was full to overflowing with comforts and
pleasures, and the life of Lazarus was just as full with suffering and pain. So
now is his time of comfort, and now is your time of agony. Besides, a great
canyon separates you and us. Nobody can cross over from our side to yours, or
from your side to ours.” ”Please, Father Abraham, I beg you,” the formerly rich
man continued, “send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers there, and they’re on
the same path I was on. If Lazarus warns them, they’ll choose another path and
won’t end up here in torment.” But Abraham said, “Why send Lazarus? They
already have the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to instruct
them. Let your brothers hear them.” “No, Father Abraham,” he said, “they’re
already ignoring the law and the prophets. But if someone came back from the
dead, then they’d listen for sure; then they’d change their way of life.”
Abraham answered, “If they’re not listening to Moses and the prophets, they
won’t be convinced even if someone comes back from the dead.”
Though not stated outright, the implication is clear that
Lazarus listened to Moses and the prophets and believed and that the rich man
did not.
Jesus tells us clearly that when we die, we either go to a
place of agony or to a place of comforts and pleasures. The writer of Hebrews
echoes this finality, "…it is appointed for men to die once, but after
this the judgment." (9:27,
NKJ) Between the two places is an impassable canyon of separation. "Nobody
can cross over from…"
The decisions we make here, today, will ultimately on our
final breath determine our eternal future. Just like the rich man in Jesus'
story, there comes a day when we die and all opportunity is ended. As Paul
reminds us repeatedly in the book of Hebrews, "Today is the day of
salvation." Every day we have is an opportunity to listen and believe. At
the end of his life, the thief at the cross chose to do so and was told by
Jesus, "Today you will be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:43, NKJ)
Praying moms, that is why we fight in prayer for our
children. That is why we wrestle against the "principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts
of wickedness in the heavenly places" with our prayers "using the
sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (from Ephesians 6)
That is why we don't give up. That is why we put aside our
wants for how to spend our time to join our voices together with other moms for
our children and for theirs. The most important thing in a child's life is the
decision where he/she will spend eternity. Will that be heaven in the Presence?
Prayer is that which makes the difference in the battle.
We must pray, not for ourselves only, but for all saints. Our enemies
are mighty, and we are without strength, but our Redeemer is almighty, and in
the power of his might we may overcome.
Wherefore we must stir up ourselves.
Matthew Henry
No comments:
Post a Comment