Several years ago, I attended a conference in El Paso, Texas. For dinner, we went to see dog races across the Mexican border. During dinner, a great commotion arose nearby. A fellow was choking on his food, perhaps a tamale. He was coughing violently, his face became deep red, his movements more desperate.
Fortunately, someone performed the Heimlich maneuver on him, disgorging the food from his windpipe. He gasped for air, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. This man probably didn’t anticipate a brush with death that day. He was close to meeting the Lord; he was ONE TAMALE AWAY FROM ETERNITY.
Each of us will have a last day on earth. Our time here will be over, and we will step into eternity. While our family and friends mourn and make funeral arrangements, we will be standing before the Lord – the sovereign, living God of the universe – to give an account of ourselves and our lives.
He won’t ask about our accomplishments (with which He will already be familiar). He will ask on what basis should we be admitted into heaven. Only if we know Jesus Christ, and have received Him as Lord and Savior will we be admitted into heaven. He will also ask us if we have responded to His calling upon our lives, and accomplished the work that He set before us (Ephesians 2:10).
We are all going to meet the Lord; the only question is how soon and on what terms. We can meet Him now by repenting of our sins and receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or we can meet Him later when we die, and face eternity in the Lake of Fire. The Lord invites us to join Him, but He will not force anyone into heaven who really doesn’t want to be there, who does not want to be with Him now and into eternity.
We are all one tamale (or bratwurst or auto accident) away from eternity. Let us rejoice this day which the Lord has created. And let us share this joy and the truth and love of God with all who come across our path.
To God be the Glory
Board of Evangelism
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