SEVERAL years ago I stayed at Scarborough. The daughter of our landlady became suddenly ill, and, after a very brief illness, died. It seemed so strange. Everyone around bent on pleasure, while in the midst of it all was death.
I walked out of the darkened house along the promenade. Two girls were just leaving one another, and arranging about meeting the next day. As they parted the one shouted to the other: “Where will you be tomorrow?”
The question haunted me. “Where will you be tomorrow?” Aye, where? I thought of the hundreds of pleasure seekers round me, and wondered what answer they would give to the question were it put to them.
Now, dear reader, what about you? “Where will YOU be tomorrow?” Ponder the question, my friend. Don’t trifle with it. Don’t take the risk you undergo by thinking, “I shall be all right tomorrow.”
My friend, suppose God said to you, “THIS NIGHT,” where would you be tomorrow? Would you be able to say, like the apostle Paul, “With Christ, which is far better”? Or would it be said of you, as it was of that rich man who died, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments”? (Luke 17:2323And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. (Luke 17:23)).
Friend, you may escape such a fearful doom. “TO-DAY, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart” (Heb. 4:77Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)). “God NOW commandeth ALL men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:3030And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (Acts 17:30)). “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 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)). You may have salvation NOW. “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:1515And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15)). “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
A friend of mine often spoke to a man regarding his soul’s salvation, but he put the matter off, intending, when he had more time, to give the matter his earnest consideration. One evening my friend called to see him, and found him busily engaged gathering apples. In response to an earnest entreaty as to salvation, he said, “I will settle the matter tonight.” Poor fellow, he never had the opportunity, for he fell down the ladder, and broke his neck. He had scores of opportunities, but missed them.
My friend, “Where will you be tomorrow?”
J. W. B.