Eternity

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14 

 

One moment of time, one second of inattention, one glance in the opposite direction, can change a person's life here on earth forever. I didn’t know that when we left the house at 3:00 p.m., October 10, 2008, in a matter of one hour, our lives would be different. My little girl’s hand would have a new form, I would have a new perspective on life, and God’s glory would shine through a dark cloud in our life.

Eternity. A word I have contemplated these last two weeks. A word that stretches ones mind; contemplating a concept that our earthly minds can barely grasp. Was I ready? Were my children ready? Had I done all for Christ?

Spiritually, I knew that if I had not awakened on this earth, I would have opened my eyes in heaven. In the spring of 1995, I recognized my sinfulness before a holy, just God. I came to realize that all of my good behavior, my church attendance, my religious upbringing, my baptism, my Sunday school teaching, my Godly parents, my knowledge of Christ's burial, death and, resurrection were not the confidence I needed to meet a Holy God.

With the knowledge that Christ paid for my sin debt--the sins that were already sending me away from God to a place called Hell--I bowed my head humbly and acknowledged my need of Christ to save me from my sin and accepted His free gift of Salvation. He had paid the debt that I could not pay here on this earth. He had taken my sins on Himself when He died on that cross. At that moment, my life was no longer my own; I now belonged to my dear Savior.

But, had I done all I could for Christ? Could I honestly stand before God and say that I had finished my course? One of the first things Autumn said to me when I walked into her hospital room at midnight, October 10, was, “Mommy, God has something special for me.” She was echoing the wisdom her Papa had shared with her sometime before her surgery. Yes, God does have something special for her. He has something special for me, my other children, and for you as well. What a wonderful God we serve!

Someday, when Autumn goes to meet Jesus, she will have new body. Her hands will be whole and her colon will be intact. With outstretched hands she will praise the Savior for His loving kindness to us here on this earth.

The song writer says:

I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus,
Who died upon the cruel tree?
To think of His great sacrifice at Calv'ry!
I know my Lord expects the best from me.

The hours that I have wasted are so many,
The hours I've spent for Christ so few;
Because of all my lack of love for Jesus,
I wonder if His heart is breaking too.

I wonder, have I cared enough for others,
Or have I let them die alone?
I might have helped a wand'rer to the Savior,
The seed of precious Life I might have sown.

No longer will I stay within the valley,
I'll climb to mountain heights above;
The world is dying now for want of someone,
To tell them of the Savior's matchless love.

Chorus
How many are the lost that I have lifted?
How many are the chained I've helped to free?
I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus, 
When He has done so much for me?