“How Near Is the End?”

My friend, Deborah, was involved with many activities, and one included attending some meetings about Bible prophecy that my husband was conducting in Texas. Her neighbor, a friend, was not pleased that they had not been able to get together. So Deborah invited Kathy to come with her to the meetings.

The subject of the fourth meeting was “How Near Is the End?” At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees were asked to raise their hands if they wanted to accept Jesus and be ready for His return. Kathy, as well as many others, accepted the invitation. On the way back to her apartment complex, Kathy was joyful that she had come with Deb and renewed her commitment to Christ. “I want to go back again tomorrow night,” she told Deb. The next day Deborah called Kathy. No answer.

Nor did Kathy come to the door when Deb stopped by to give her a ride to the meeting. On Friday evening, Deborah saw police cars at Kathy’s building.

Soon she learned that her friend had apparently died in her sleep sometime during the night following the meeting where she had just renewed her commitment to Christ. At the memorial service, Deb shared with Kathy’s family about her last few hours. She encouraged them to be ready to spend eternity with Jesus.

After the service, a family member shared with me how much the family needed to hear about Kathy’s final hours and decision.

We never know when our last breath will be taken, but Kathy’s next view will be the face of Jesus! First Thessalonians 4:16, 17 reminds us that “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (KJV). May we take the opportunity each day to recommit our lives to Jesus. No one knows the exact answer to the question of how near the end is. Yet David, speaking of God, left us with this reassurance and comfort: “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:114, NIV).

Rita Kay Stevens