There was a great fire some years ago in Minneapolis, and one of the newspaper buildings was wrapped in flames. The man in charge of the Associated Press dispatches sat in the ninth story of the burning building and sent out a message all over America: “The building is burning. The fire is in the sixth story, and I am in the ninth.”
A little later he sent out a second message: “The fire is in the seventh story and I am in the ninth.”
Then he sent a third message: “The fire is in the eighth story and I am in the ninth.”
When he could hear the crackling of the flames near him he started to escape. Others in the building had escaped; they had made their way quickly down the ladders and fire escapes. But now when the announcer attempted to use them, they were too hot to handle. When he went to the stairway, fire and smoke blocked him. He rushed back to the window. He stood for a moment on the window casing, then leaped out to lay hold of a rope-and missed his footing.
The rest of the story I need not tell you. In spite of abundant provision for his escape, that man was killed.
Why?
Neglect! He neglected to escape while there was time.
God has provided a way of perfect salvation for us, salvation from all the horrors of a lost eternity, but if we neglect to escape before it is too late, there will never be a second chance.