Today is the Day; Do Not Harden Your Heart
Oftentimes, we have heard someone speak these words: “When we take our last breath, then we will immediately breathe our first breath in eternity. & When we close our eyes in death, we will in the next moment open them in our chosen eternal destination.” Maybe we grew up hearing someone testifying those words as truth. We may have been raised in a godly home where the Word of Truth was daily read while sitting at the dinner table, where heads were bowed in prayer before meals, and where parents carried us to church even before we could walk.
The oftentimes and maybes of life mean nothing if we choose wrong. Here’s why: The HOPE of the resurrection of Christ Jesus is not a belief we can place on a bookshelf, something we can take down once in an while to admire. The HOPE of the resurrection is not a discussion we gather into once a week on the Sabbath, only to live life as we please the other six days.
- When we take our last breath here on earth, we will either see Satan next OR we will see Jesus.
- When we close our eyes in death to our earthly lives, we will either feel the fires of torment on our face OR we will experience the glorious Son of God reigning down on us, the Light of the world.
There is no middle space, no wiggle room for decision, no time to consider AFTER DEATH. Every day we live our bodies are decaying, and we will either face an eternal life that is perishing or one that is imperishable. Certainly, it’s a morbid thought to think of our demise; however, we must. Death comes to all, and when death finally comes for you and for me—WHAT WE HAVE EACH CHOSEN TO DO WITH JESUS WHILE WE HAVE LIVED WILL LAST FOR ALL ETERNITY.
The apostle Paul wrote to believers, reminding them (and us)—
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 6: 7-9 NASB)
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”
It’s an amazing thought to know that one day, if we have placed our trust and our lives in Jesus, then we will open our eyes in eternity and see HIM. Yes, that is all that will matter.
So—
- Should it matter what we do for Jesus here on earth? &
- Should it matter who we are in Jesus while we live and walk through our days?
These words of Paul come on the heels of his remembrance to bear one another’s burdens, for in doing so, the Bible tells us we are fulfilling the will of Christ. It doesn’t take long to see burdens, to see people bent with the weight of the world, to see others struggling: to make ends meet, to care for loved ones, to walk within the burden of the Lord’s calling on their lives, or to struggle in their belief, asking: “Is this God spoken of really true? & Did He die for me and raise to new life, as the Bible says?” However, we look at it, burdens are heavy, whether they are burdens of life or burdens of belief. The apostle John was given these words spoken by Jesus Himself at the time right before Jesus was betrayed by Judas. This was the night of the Last Supper.
“So after receiving the morsel he [Judas] went out immediately; and it was night.
(The Gospel According to John 13: 30-36 NASB)
Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;
if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.
Little children, I am with you a little while longer.
You will seek Me;
and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”
Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now;
but you will follow later.”
- Men (the disciples) who chose to follow Jesus.
- A man (Judas) who chose to NOT follow Jesus.
Each man was given the choice while he lived and breathed, and by their belief or unbelief in Jesus’s work on the cross and in the grave, they each made their eternal decision. When we take our last breath, then we will immediately breathe our first breath in eternity. & When we close our eyes in death, we will in the next moment open them in our chosen eternal destination.
The core tenet (teaching) of Christianity is the genuine love followers show for each other. This is the outward sign of their faith. Today is the Day; Do Not Harden Your Heart but Love Like Jesus. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 6: 9 NASB)
- A Christian must lay down his cross daily, and show the world—”that you also love one another. [for] By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (The Gospel According to John 13: 34-35 NASB)
The Bible speaks of the rapture, the future event when Jesus will call all true Christians to meet Him in the air. The Bible also says this event could happen at any given moment: any day and any hour. The Bible says that only Father God knows when this event will occur, & the Bible tells us that we must be ready. Today is the Day; Do Not Harden Your Heart but Place Your Faith in Jesus.
The Christian band Elevation Rhythm sings a melody that contains this lyric: “Dancing on the grave that I once lived in; I am born again.” (“Goodbye Yesterday”).
- Each person must decide today, this side of death, whether he believes in Jesus OR does not.
- Every individual has a choice: Will he dance and glorify Jesus in heaven OR will he not?