What has God to say about accepting His offer for the soul's eternal blessing? "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
Promptly the devil whispers, "Not yet! There is plenty of time."
Thus the arch-deceiver spoke to Edward Lane, chief mate on board the "Harriet." After a gospel message, his Christian captain had urged him to decide immediately for Christ. Ed had heard many times the sweet story of God's love to lost mankind as shown in the gift of His own dear Son. Like many others, the mate had never taken to himself his lost estate and need of a Savior; and now his response was: "OK, Captain, after Christmas! Now don't worry about me, Christmas will soon be here. We'll be in port, and I'll have a last fling. Then I promise you that I’ll accept Christ as my Savior."
The captain sadly turned away. He saw that his mate's thoughts were centered on the "good times" ahead. He was full of the joy of living and could anticipate nothing better than the worldly pleasures of the coming weeks. Not for him at this time could be Moses' decision to "suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
After bidding his young mate "Good night," the captain sought the solitude of his own quarters. There he could bear up before the Lord the dire need of all aboard for whom he felt a spiritual responsibility. But even as he knelt to pray, the captain heard a rush of footsteps followed by the cry, "Man overboard!"
Yes, it was Ed Lane. Reaching over the quarterdeck to draw in an entangled log-line, he had overbalanced, lost his footing, and plunged into the cold black waters of the ocean. Before the boat's engines could be reversed, she had traveled quite a way beyond the spot where poor Ed had hurtled into the darkness. Though the bright search lights played over the waters and every eye scanned hopefully each ocean wave, the general thought from the first was: "Not a chance!" To the captain came the word of Scripture: "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Prov. 29:11He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1).
In spite of all that brave crew could do, their efforts were in vain. Ed Lane was lost to them and to the world he loved. Did he in those last desperate moments cry for help from the One he had rejected? His promise is to "save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him." Or did the helpless man feel the terrible sting and agony of remembering that, not many minutes before, eternal salvation in Christ had been offered him, and that he had refused it?
Oh, my unsaved reader, will it not intensify for you the pangs of hell if you must remember throughout eternity that pardon, peace, eternal life and endless joys with Christ were once offered you, and that you refused them?