“There was a time in my life,” Stan said one morning, “that I was on track to make the same big mistake I read about in the Books of Acts this morning.”
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“Well,” Stan said, “on the first missionary journey taken by Paul and Barnabas, they were talking to a lot of people about Jesus.”
“Many of the Jews were responding positively to the truth of Christ,” Stan continued, “but some of the Jewish leaders were real upset that Paul and Barnabas were getting so much attention.”
Going on, Stan said, “Some of the Jewish leaders were contradicting and repudiating what Paul and Barnabas had said.”
“But what does that have to do with any mistake you might have made at some point in your life?” I asked.
“Paul and Barnabas,” Stan replied, “said something to the Jewish leaders that should have really awakened them, but apparently did not.”
“What did they say?” I asked.
“They said to the Jewish leaders that it was necessary that the word of God was spoken to them first, but that because they repudiated it they had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life.”
“Wow,” I said. “That was a big blast at pointing out a mistake.”
“You are right, my friend,” Stan replied, and then added, “And I was right there with them at one point in my life in that I had repudiated the word of God and had not accepted His free gifts that include eternal life and life eternally with Him.”
“Thankfully,” Stan continued, “I realized my big mistake in time and did, in fact, accept the truth of the word of God.”
“And,” Stan then said, “that truth includes the free gift of life eternally with God when it is time for me to get on the train to glory, along with the gift of pursuing eternal life in knowing God on this side of eternity.”
“Big mistake avoided,” I replied.
“Amen,” was Stan’s response.
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And Barnabas and Paul spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.” Acts of the Apostles 13:46.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for helping me to see the truth of your word in time for me to accept it and be assured of life eternally with you when my time here is done. And thank you that you want and allow me to pursue knowing you on this side of eternity. I pray for all of those who are about to make the mistake of not responding to the truth of your word. I give you all of me to use in whatever way you want to help others realize the eternal consequences of making the mistake of rejecting you and your provision. Thank you that I can and do bring all of these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 