Ding-dong, ding-dong.
The ringing noise roused me from a deep sleep. As I came awake I was aware of the steady drum of rain on the roof. I was thankful to be snuggled in a dry, warm bed.
Ding-dong, ding-ding-dong.
There it was again . . . someone was ringing our doorbell! A quick check of the clock showed it was 4:00 a.m. Who would be at the door at this hour?
I threw on a robe and headed carefully out of my bedroom and down the dark stairs.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
Whoever it was was not giving up! I opened our front door, and before I had time to invite them in, a lady and her three children quickly stepped inside. They all were crying, dripping wet, barefoot and were creating puddles on the floor wherever they stood.
“Please, can you help us?” the crying mother asked. “I work the late shift,” she explained. “Tonight I was traveling on the road right near your farm, heading home. I was going fast and didn’t see the water over the road until I hit it. My car went out of control and we landed off the road, in deep water, in a ditch. The car started filling with water fast! I got the children out through the windows, and we’ve had to walk almost a mile to get here.”
These four people needed help! They realized their need and were doing something about it. Have you ever realized that you are in worse need than this wet, frightened family? If you have not yet accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are headed for an awful eternity! It’s easy to pass through life pushing the thoughts of death out of your mind. But one of these days it will happen to you, and death takes you to either heaven or hell. These people passed the road near my house almost every day, but they never came knocking on my door until they were wet and cold and in need.
Do you have problems? God may be speaking to you. He wants you to realize that there are more important things to think about than just living one day at a time.
Of course, we were glad to help that lady and her children in every way we could. And God has done everything to help you in your need of salvation from a lost eternity. He loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die on the cross, to bear the punishment you deserve. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement [punishment] of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes [wounds] we are healed” (Isaiah 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)). All you have to do is realize your need and come to Him to be saved. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
In the morning I walked down to see the lady’s car. They really had a close brush with death! The car was almost completely under the deep water in that ditch. Only the trunk and roof were above the swirling water. If she hadn’t hurried to get out of that car and gotten her children out, they would have drowned instead of just getting cold and wet.
Do you know when death will take you? Are you ready?
ML-06/28/1996