It happened about 1865, when France and Germany were on the verge of war. A young Frenchman stood at the border of entry into his home country, but the border guards stood solidly in his way.
Who was this young man? Was he a rebel? or a spy? The guards were not to let anyone enter their country who could not prove that they were French.
“Your identity, please,” growled the guard without a smile.
“I am Gustave Doré,” answered the young man.
The guards laughed. They all knew the fame of Gustave Doré the great artist, but anybody could attempt to get through on a name like that. This was a joke. And the guards were armed.
But was it true? Was he really Doré, the great artist?
And is it true that you are a Christian? You may tell people that you are, but when you leave this world and stand at the border of eternity, you will find that God knows all your secrets and you can’t bluff your way through. God knows you are a sinner. Does God also know if your sins are forgiven, if you are cleansed by the precious blood of Christ? He certainly does. “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). If your sins are not forgiven when you stand at that border crossing, it will be too late to go back and try again. Are you saved, right now?
One of the guards had an idea. He handed the young man a paper and pencil. “Here. If you are Gustave Doré, draw that group of people over there.”
Doré was a real genius. The picture he drew was not only a true likeness, but full of life and character, all sketched in a few minutes. There was no need to sign his name because the truth of who he was shone out in every pencil stroke. The guards were instantly convinced that he was Gustave Doré, the great artist.
The Judge whom you will meet in eternity is the same One whose hands made the world. When He appeared in this world as a baby in Bethlehem, how would anyone know who He was? Read His book and see. He spoke as no other man spoke. He raised the dead, fed the hungry, healed the sick, cast out demons, walked on the water and raised people from the dead. The truth of His eternal power and that He was the Son of God shone out in everything He did.
Will you believe Him right now? Will you receive His forgiveness now and welcome Him into your heart? If you do, when you stand at that eternal border, you will receive His “welcome home” forever.
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).
ML-07/16/1995