It was a hot corner in a recent naval action, and the uncertainties in such actions are great. In the crew was a sailor—we'll call him Jim—who was known on board as a careless fellow who bragged that he wanted none of God or of religion. There was nothing in them, and he could do without either.
A Christian sailor who knew Jim's boastings well was engaged near him, and could see that Jim's pretensions were not holding out against the roar of battle and the probability of a shell or a torpedo landing him in eternity in a moment. It was then just as he happened to pass him that the Christian looked Jim in the face and quietly but firmly repeated the words, "You are afraid to die!" No more was said by either. The action soon ceased, and their ship returned to her base with little damage.
The little group of Christians on board was gathered below a few days after for their usual Bible reading when, as they read, Jim came quietly in and took his place at the back of the group. Thinking he had perhaps come to oppose, no one paid any attention to him and the reading went on, but as nearly half an hour passed and Jim had not said a word, the reader, who was the same man who had spoken to him on the day of battle, asked what he wanted.
"I can't get those words of yours out of my mind," answered Jim. "They ring in my ears night and day. I am afraid to die; what must I do?"
A wonderful question! "What must I do to be saved" is a question that makes angels rejoice. It means that an immortal soul has wakened to the fact that it is lost. Have you?
Jim was gladly pointed to the Lord Jesus as the One who had done everything, and who was waiting to give pardon and peace to a sinner like him. There, on his knees before God, Jim believed in the Lord Jesus as the Savior who had died for him. He rose a saved man, no longer afraid to die.
Oh, the foolishness of trying to do without God—of keeping up appearances when conscience says, "You know you are all wrong." Jim now calls himself a fool for acting as he did, while he delights to tell of the Savior's grace that could receive, forgive and eternally bless a sinner like him. He recommends that you follow his example so that you, too, need not be afraid to die.