A young man named Garvin grew up in a village on the island of St. Vincent. All during his childhood he attended Sunday school and gospel meetings every week with his family. However, as he passed through his teenage years and became an adult, he knew that he was not saved. During those growing-up years, he heard many, many times that he was a sinner and that he needed the Saviour of sinners to save him from his sins. However, Garvin had never really taken the good news of salvation into his own heart. Like many young people, and even some who are not so young, he was only interested in having a good time with his friends. He wanted the freedom to live his life in his own way. However, putting off that decision while living a sinful life and heading for a lost eternity in hell is a very dangerous way to live. Garvin knew this.
One day all that changed! He was walking down the street when he met a young man who was passing out gospel tracts. As they passed each other, a tract was pushed into his hand, and something made him stop and read it. The Spirit of God had been working in Garvin’s heart and conscience for some time. He stepped to the side of the roadway and read the tract, which reminded him again of the guilt of his sins. He accepted Christ as his Saviour right then and there! At twenty-one years old, he “passed from death unto life” (1 John 3:1414We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (1 John 3:14)), because the Lord directed someone handing out gospel tracts to give him one, on that hot, humid, tropical afternoon.
Today, Garvin is a faithful servant of God. Many years have passed since he was saved, but he still loves to tell others about how the Lord used a tract to cause him to admit his guilt and regret his life of sin. Ever since that day, he carries a bag of tracts, the “silent messengers,” and hands them out everywhere he goes. He understands the value of getting God’s good news of salvation into the hands of sinners.
Some of you children, teenagers and grown-ups reading Garvin’s story right now are doing exactly what he had done—putting off that decision for some other time and thinking, Don’t bother me with that now. The Bible has warnings for each one of you about waiting to make that decision: “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh” (Matthew 24:4444Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44)). Many of you know that Jesus is coming back to take to heaven everyone who has accepted Him as their Saviour. The Bible says that nobody knows exactly when that will happen: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh” (Matthew 25:1313Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:13)). It could be today. The point is, Be sure you are ready! Garvin would tell you, “Make that decision, and make it right now!” You will never regret it.
ML-12/23/2012