"Good evening, sir. Does something trouble you?”
"Yes. I must take a long journey.”
"When?”
"That I don't know for sure, but a car will call for me at any time. I must go immediately, for it will not wait.”
"And when will you return?”
"I shall not return.”
"How long have you known this?”
"Oh, for quite some time.”
"What preparation have you made?”
"None.”
"But where are you going?”
"I don't know.”
Who would not smile incredulously at such neglect, and call it folly?
But let us listen to a similar conversation!
"Good evening, sir. I am sorry to hear you have been taken with a sudden illness.”
"Yes. I am afraid I must take a long journey.”
"When?”
"I cannot say for sure, but Death will call for me at possibly any moment; and then I must go immediately, for Death will not wait.”
"And when will you return?”
"Never.”
"How long have you known this?”
"Why, for years, of course.”
"And what preparation have you made?”
"None.”
"But where are you going?”
"I don't know.”
Ah, no laughing matter this! It is a tragedy enacted every day, if not in just so many words. What says the answer of the Lord? "He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." John 12:35.
"Jesus cried and said,... I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness." John 12:44, 46.
"No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6.
"God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.
"And they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut." Matt. 25:10.
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. 2:3.
Who is this neglecter?