Good Morning Friends,
“The beggar died and 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. 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.'
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. 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. Until the very
last moment of life, there is an opportunity to turn to the Lord in repentance
and faith. God will accept anyone who turns to Him with an open and honest
heart.
The moment after death all opportunity is
passed and eternity is fixed.
The story of the rich and Lazarus is the story
of two eternities.
For Lazarus, death marked union and comfort. He
was taken into 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. Because Lazarus trusted
God, eternity was comfort for him. God prepared a place for Lazarus and death
ushered him into that place.
For the rich man, death marked separation and
torment. Life had been easy for the rich man on earth. 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 while
the rich man was on earth. His failure to take advantage of the opportunity to
turn to the Lord left him separated from the Lord in eternity.
The eternity of each man was fixed. There was a
chasm that kept Lazarus safely at Abraham’s side. There was a chasm that kept
the rich man eternally separated.
His, by Grace, Steve
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