Monday Morning Memo: Later

“Grandma, you need to come downstairs!  I’ve been cooking for you.”  These were the words I kept hearing from my precious, four-year-old granddaughter, Emma, last Thursday.  At the time, we were canning green beans, so every time she urgently begged me to go with her, I had to tell her that we would do that later.  Each time, I saw the disappointment on her face, and I felt so guilty.  I finally promised her that as soon as dinner was over, we would go downstairs.  As you can imagine, as we finished our last morsel of food, Emma was pulling my arm to guide me to the basement.

After we descended the stairs, I saw what her excitement was all about.  Emma had worked hard to prepare quite a feast for us to share, and her eyes just danced as I raved and raved about her culinary selections.  She was so proud, and I have to admit…I was really proud of her too…and so touched that she had persistently invited me to join her for our precious “meal” together.

As I thought about this over the weekend, I realized that this scenario is similar to what our Heavenly Father is doing for us.  He is preparing a feast in heaven, and He so desperately wants all of us to someday sit at His table.  He just keeps asking us if we will accept Him as our Lord and Savior…so that someday we will “dine” with Him forever.  

Unfortunately, many are just too busy.  They have too much to do to accept Christ’s invitation.  “Later”…some are saying…and they keep putting off the decision.  I think many are hearing Him plead with them and might even have a tinge of guilt when they keep putting Him off.  But yet, the all-important, life-changing decision isn’t made…because they think there will always be “later” to accept His invitation.  I can’t imagine the disappointment that Jesus must feel every time He is rejected.  He came to earth, to suffer unimaginable pain and anguish on a cross, for my sins and for yours.  Yet, some continue to turn their back on Him and refuse to accept His free gift of salvation.  

Friend, the truth is that there may not be a “later” time.  None of us know when our life on this earth will be over and if we haven’t made the decision to accept Christ when we die…there won’t be a second chance.  We won’t have the opportunity to sit at the feast that has been prepared for us and our eternity won’t be spent in heaven…but in hell.

If you are reading this and haven’t asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, I want to urge you to do so today.  Jesus is the reason I get up every morning, pen every blog post and urgently pray for those such as you who need to know that there is hope!  Accepting Him is not difficult; you can come to Him just as you are right now…today.  All you have to do is say a prayer such as this:

“Dear Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, were resurrected and that you are alive and well today.  I believe that you are the Son of God and that you deeply love me.  I confess that I am a sinner and I need you to forgive me and cleanse me from my sins.  I accept you as my Savior and want you to create a new and clean heart in me.  I now want to live every day for you and I know that I will have eternal life with you because of what you did on Calvary’s cross for me.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.”

If you have prayed this prayer, I would love to know so that I can be praying for you as you begin your walk with our Jesus.  Feel free to e-mail me (luannfulton@gmail.com) so that I can celebrate your decision with you!

Please, please don’t wait until “later” to accept Christ.  You and I aren’t guaranteed a “later”…today may be our only opportunity to trust Him.  I’m guessing His eyes will dance, just like my granddaughter’s did, as you accept His invitation to feast with Him forever! 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4