In intensive care units of hospitals all across the country, at all hours of the day and night, the green irregular line on the screen above the patient's head is tracing out the faint shadow of life fading away. Families gather in the hospital, and pray and wait. The doctor comes in and says it is only a matter of time.
That soul at the door of eternity, where is it going? Death is not the end, it is the beginning—of what? Either that soul is almost "absent from the body... present with the Lord," or it is going out into the blackness of darkness forever.
At the moment that thin green line flattens out, when the little peaks and hollows of heartbeats cease to race across the screen, as life here on earth stops, that soul enters eternity. From that moment its destiny is settled and settled forever. There can be no change, no second chance then. "In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Ecclesiastes 11:33If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. (Ecclesiastes 11:3).
Then why wait? Why take a chance on coming to the intensive care unit unprepared and unready to meet God? It takes so little to snuff out a life—so little to end life's day. Why not believe and accept God's Word? He says, "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).
Tomorrow may be too late!