Wednesday Thought -- July 13, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'” (Luke 16:22-26)

Death marks the end of choice for humans. Until death, right until the very last moment of life, there is an opportunity to turn to the Lord is repentance and faith. Like the thief on the cross, God will accept anyone who turns to Him with an open and honest heart. The thief was dying, yet God was still ready to receive him.

But the moment after death all opportunity is passed and eternity is fixed.

The story of the rich and Lazarus is the story of two and two eternities.

For Lazarus, death marked union and comfort. Lazarus was taken to Abraham’s side, a union with those of faith and with the One in whom that faith is placed. Lazarus experienced pain and difficulty. Life was hard for him, as it is for many people. Life isn’t always fair and easy. But because Lazarus trusted God, eternity was comfort for him. God had prepared a place for Lazarus and death ushered him into that place forever.

For the rich man, death marked separation and torment. He was separated from Lazarus, separated from Abraham, and separated from God. Life had been easy for the rich man on earth. It wasn’t that life was fair to him, either, but that he came out of the good side of the equation, he received more than he earned and deserved. Though he was blessed, he did not use his blessings to provide for others, he spent them all on himself. There was no thought of God or God’s will while the rich man was on earth. His failure to take advantage of the opportunity to turn to the Lord in life left him separated from the Lord in eternity.

The eternity of each man was fixed. There was a chasm that kept Lazarus firmly and safely at Abraham’s side. There was a chasm that kept the rich man firmly and eternally separated.

“Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

His, by Grace,

Steve