Now!

While shaking hands after the early service one Sabbath morning, I remarked to a dear lady, “And the good news is that Jesus is coming soon!” She replied, “Pastor, I just hope I’m ready.” Holding on to her hand, I looked into her eyes and asked, “What was that you just said?” She could tell I was concerned.

“I said, I hope I’m ready when Jesus comes back. Did I say something wrong?” “Yes, I really think you did,” I said, shepherding her to the side of the church foyer. “Did you say you ‘hope’ to be ready when Jesus comes back?” I asked her.

She answered in the affirmative. “Now, why would you say such a thing?” She paused, so I went on. “Let me ask you this. Are you a Christian?” She told me she most certainly was. “Do you love the Lord?” She assured me she did.

“Have you surrendered your life to Jesus?” She said she had, first doing so when she was a little girl. “Do you have a drinking problem?” I enquired.

Her eyes opened wide. “No! I surely don’t!” “Boyfriends?” I asked. “Is it boyfriends?” “Pastor!” she answered, a shy smile on her face.

“So what you’re saying is you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and you’ve never changed your mind?” “That’s right,” she said.

“Well, neither has He,” I said. “So from now on, let’s not ‘hope’ to be ready for Jesus’ return. Instead, ‘believe’ you’re ready and thank Him that salvation is yours. What do you think?” She thought that would be a good idea. Salvation is a gift that we have the moment we accept it. There is no need to “hope” to receive a gift you have already received. John says, “You may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

There is nothing more important than knowing you have salvation.

If you have yielded your life to Jesus, salvation is yours. Now.