|
Getting ReadyTo Go
by Ramona Cook Getting Ready To Go Today I begin packing for yet another move. My current location was to be a temporary one and for an indefinite period of time. The time has come. Oh, oh, what a job it is to get things into boxes, and to call the movers, and to do the seemingly gazillion things that all demand attention at one time, being the same time! However, when it is over and all things are once again in place, it will have been worth the move, because I am going to a better location. I see parallels in this experience to preparing for our final trip, that time when we relocate for the final time, so far as this earth no longer being our home. We are "getting" ready every day for that trip however, sending a little "stuff" ahead of good deeds and bad. "Stuff," that will be building up our heavenly account or taking away some of it. In that way the moving analogy is different; but the work of preparing to move catches, and reflects, the work we experience as we make our way toward our heavenly home. At this juncture, it is a good thing to mention that we do have a destination, do we not? We cannot move without a destination. Going through life with no destination is equivalent to the definition used by the Bible called "LOST." Wandering through life with a bunch of "stuff" and no place to put it down and no destination for the trip is a heavy and unsettling thought, but to live it, to experience it, makes life a burden too much of the time. So before we can move, we must determine the place, to where we are intending to go. It is also true for our final trip. We don't have a wide variety of choices about our final relocation, you realize, (don't you?) there are only two. There is Heaven and there is Hell. We have to decide which Final Home we choose to move into. It is a serious choice. Before I began today's activities of getting packed, I had the tedious job of finding a place to move. I had reasons for the place I chose. Location was one of them. It is convenient to my work location and not too far from my Church. I am fairly close to my grandchildren, the neighborhood seems safe, and yet the price is always more than I want to pay. The fact is I have to pay it if I choose to live there. If I had chosen another of the places I considered, there was still a price to pay, and although the dollar amount was less, I would have paid a daily price of discontent with my location and surroundings. Yes, there is a price to pay. In thinking about our 'final move' it has never been clear to me why anyone would neglect the benefits of Heaven for the Horrors of Hell. It is simply a poor decision, and probably not one that is a firm choice, but rather one that folks just slide into by not doing the work of choosing. We cannot live nor can we exist, and not be constantly engaged in making decisions. Some people say that if they don't make a decision the thing will work out someway and so, they don't have to decide on some given subject. But to decide to not decide is to make a decision. Joshua of the Bible says, "Choose this day, whom you will serve. Choose life or choose death." Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by Me, and any man who comes to Me, I will not turn away." The Bible says that "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." (In Heaven) I can only guess that the biggest reason some people decide not to reach out and take God's offer of a home in Heaven, is that they don't want to pay the price of humbling themselves and confessing to God that they have sinned and cannot save themselves. That is called "Pride." Then too, maybe they didn't know that the doing of humility, of admitting "I cannot save myself,"is all that is required. Talk about a deal! Jesus has paid the entire price of our future home, all we must do is to accept it. To receive it all we do is to tell Him we want to live with Him forever and we are not able to pay the price, because we have nothing with which to pay, that we are helpless, destitute, and need a savior. He offers Himself as that Savior and we say yes, I want it, or no I'll keep looking. But recall the choices for you are limited. There are only two choices for your final residence, there is Heaven and there is Hell. It is a serious choice. To not decide is to decide for Hell. Hell, what is it and where? There are many thoughts on this, but the one thing that is the common and widely agreed upon answer is that Hell is where God is not. We do not want to live where God is not. So, today, right now, decide that you want to live in Heaven with God. Jesus is the Door into Heaven, so just tell Him that you want Him to save you from wandering around, being lost, and from ever making Hell your final home. Jesus says that anyone who comes to Him asking to be saved will absolutely be saved and He will turn no one away. I have settled everything about my final home and for that I am so thankful. I must now get to preparing for this next earthly home but in time, when we are all gone from this earth home, I hope I see you in Heaven. Assurance of a home in Heaven because of accepting Jesus and what He has purchased for us, is a really good deal; don't pass it up by failing to prepare for it with the right decision! Ramona 08/24/2010 Ramona, Master in Ministry Arts, BA in Biblical Studies, I am an Ordained Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By copies retained and legal rights, I claim ownership of this article, but requiring only that my name is published as the author. R Cook, and that the message content is not changed. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |