When Hans was a teenager he worked for a Christian doctor who often held gospel meetings at his house in the evenings. It was Hans’s job to greet the people at the door, take their coats and show them the way to the room where the meeting was being held. When all the people had come in, Hans would sit in the doorway and listen.
The subject of one of these meetings was the second coming of Christ. Many Bible verses were read telling that the Lord Jesus will come again to take all His own, those who through faith in Him are washed from their sins in His precious blood, to His Father’s home in heaven. Other verses were read that tell that those who do not believe are to be left behind in this world for the final judgment.
Later that night after the meeting was over the doctor asked Hans, “Did you understand what was said during the meeting?”
“Yes, sir,” he answered.
“Do you know what the Lord Jesus will do when He comes again?”
Hans answered, “Yes.”
“All right,” the doctor said, “I just wanted to tell you that when the Lord Jesus comes, all the things which I now possess I will not need since my whole family and I will then leave this world. So you may have my entire house if you are still working for me when the Lord Jesus comes.”
Hans never expected such an offer, and imagine his surprise when the doctor added, “You may have all my furniture, my cars, everything I own!”
Hans was so taken by surprise he almost forgot to say, “Thank you.”
That night he was so excited he couldn’t sleep a wink. A thousand thoughts were racing through his mind. But suddenly, as he lay thinking of how rich he would be, another thought struck him: What use would a house, cars and even a million dollars be if when the Lord Jesus comes I am left behind to meet Him as my judge? I would much rather go to heaven with Him than be left behind with the door closed to heaven.
As the silent hours of the night passed and Hans continued to think of the truth he had heard from the Bible he finally could stand it no longer. His mind was made up. He went to the doctor’s house and knocked on the door.
“Well, Hans, come in. What’s the trouble?” asked the doctor.
“Please excuse me, sir, but I don’t want your house when the Lord Jesus comes.”
“Really?” asked the doctor.
“No!” answered Hans decidedly, “and I don’t want your cars or your money either.”
“Well, Hans, what do you want then?”
“When the Lord Jesus comes I want to go to heaven with Him too!”
How glad the doctor was to hear that! He took Hans to another room where they could read and talk together. Then they kneeled down and the doctor told the Lord Jesus that Hans wanted to be saved. Hans also prayed with all his heart, telling Jesus that he was a sinner and wanted to be saved from his sins. And the Lord Jesus, who is always ready, day or night, to give peace and salvation to every truly repentant sinner, heard Hans’s prayer.
But what about you? Would you be ready if the Lord Jesus should return today?
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at [evening], or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning” (Mark 13:3535Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: (Mark 13:35)). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)).
ML-02/08/1998