Suddenly Cut Off

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
A young girl, who had often been spoken to about the destiny of her immortal soul and repeatedly warned to flee from the wrath to come, was suddenly cut off. The Lord Jesus Christ had been presented to her as Savior, the only way of escape from coming judgment. His loving words, “Come unto Me,” had often been heard, but not accepted. Her heart was so occupied with this poor world’s pleasures, that it blinded her from seeing the solemnity of a future without Christ. She had been especially entreated to come to the Lord Jesus the day before she had planned to attend a ball.
“O, no,” she said, “I can’t become a Christian now, I am going to a ball tonight. No, no, some other time perhaps, but not today.”
Fatal choice! How solemn to risk the immortal soul’s salvation, for a little of this poor world’s fleeting pleasures. Yes, fleeting.
Man’s state in these last days is accurately described in 2 Timothy 3:4,4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (2 Timothy 3:4) where, among other things, we find that men are:
“Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” (N.T.)
True and lasting pleasure can be found only in His Presence. How sweet the words of the Psalmist:
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)).
This frightened her so that she could not get up. After some time she fell asleep again, but only to be reawakened by the same voice:
This time she was still more frightened, and for very fear did not get up. But once more she fell asleep. Just before the dawn of day, the voice was heard again:
This was too much, she was seized with unspeakable terror, and when her mother came in that morning and looked at her daughter, she exclaimed:
“Why, daughter, what is the matter, are you sick?”
Her daughter then told her all that had happened during the night, and the words that she had heard three times.
“Did you get up and read that scripture?” said her mother.
“No, mother, I was too frightened to get up.”
“Shall I read it to you?”
“Yes, please, do.” answered the daughter.
“‘Now, will I shortly pour out My fury upon thee, and accomplish Mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.’” (Ezek. 7:8, 98Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. 9And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth. (Ezekiel 7:8‑9)).
As her mother turned around, after reading the above words—she found her daughter dead.
O, the awfulness of rejecting Christ! Be warned in time. Accept the Savior now; He is graciously waiting to receive you.
“He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light” (Job 33:27, 2827He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. (Job 33:27‑28)).
“Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom” (Job 33:2424Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. (Job 33:24)).
You may often have heard His loving invitation, and turned a deaf ear, thinking—not now, some other time, but for you there may be no other time, you may be suddenly cut off.
“Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee” (Job 36:1818Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. (Job 36:18)).
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:3131It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)).