It was Sunday afternoon, and a message to young people had just been delivered in the Gospel Hall. Ralph hurried out of the hall with the preacher's words still ringing in his ears: "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).
Many times in his life Ralph had definitely been "reproved" by the Spirit of God― "convinced" of his sinful nature, of his utter lack of righteousness, and of the judgment that would be his portion if he persisted in his present course. He had been brought up in a godly home, had daily heard the Word of God, and he knew that his parents' earnest prayers for his conversion ascended constantly to the throne of grace.
"But," whispered Satan, "if you own yourself a sinner, and Jesus as your Savior, think of all the good times you must miss.
You are young. Wait!”
And Ralph did wait. Deliberately stifling the "still small voice," he sauntered carelessly down to the lake shore. There the usual Sunday afternoon loiterers strolled or sat around on the grass.. Some were reading newspapers, others chatted with friends.
Not caring for companionship today, Ralph refused to look for familiar faces. Instead, he fixed his gaze out over the lake.
There the white caps were riding on wind whipped waves. Black clouds rolled up from the horizon, obscuring the afternoon sun and rapidly hiding the clear blue of the sky. Buttoning his coat and pulling his hat over his eyes against the rising wind, Ralph now hurried along his favorite walk.
A little farther on a great oak spread its leafy branches across his path. He would take shelter there and watch the approaching storm. As he neared this haven, Ralph saw two men striding toward the tree, evidently having the same thought as he.
By this time jagged flashes of lightning were breaking through the rolling clouds, and the mutter of thunder was punctuated with sudden crashes. Ralph sped on, thinking how foolish he had been to get so far from shelter in the face of the approaching storm.
Suddenly, with an instantaneous lightning flash and a rending crash of thunder, the storm broke. Through pelting rain Ralph ran for the big oak. Half blinded by the stinging drops, he stumbled toward the tree where he had seen the two men take shelter.
Was there room for him? Were they still there? Peering through the blinding rain, Ralph could not see until he was almost upon them.
And what a sight it was! Prone upon the ground at the foot of the great tree lay the body of one, killed instantly by the bolt of lightning. At his side, weeping like a child, knelt the other man.
"Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy"―it rang in Ralph's ears.
And then the full import of his own narrow escape burst upon his thoughts: suppose he had reached the tree and remained in its shelter, instead of this poor lifeless one now lying so still! In all honesty he had to confess that, had he been plunged thus into eternity, he would have been lost,―forever lost. With tear filled eyes and broken heart, he knelt beside the weeping man.
Humbly he thanked the Savior for sparing him that he might confess Him before men.
Dear reader, you too are on the brink of eternity. The next heart-beat may be your last. Are you ready to meet a holy God?
He gave His dear Son to die in your stead.
He died that you might live. Will you not accept so great salvation?
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."