Morning By Morning #73

Why stay here until we die?

2 Kings 7:3

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Dear reader, this book was primarily intended for the edification of believers, but if you are still unsaved, my heart yearns for you to believe and I would like to share a few words I hope will be a blessing to you. Open your Bible and read the story of the lepers in 2 Kings 7 and consider that their position was much the same as yours today. If you stay where you are, you will perish for sure. If you go to Jesus, perhaps you will still die, but remember the old saying, “Nothing ventured—nothing gained.” Isn’t it true that in your case you have very little to risk? If you decide to remain in your place of hopeless despair, no one will pity you when you finally come to complete ruin. But if you were to die after truly seeking mercy—if that were actually possible—you would be the object of universal sympathy. No one who refuses to look to Jesus escapes destruction, and, in contrast, you probably have acquaintances who have believed in Him and are saved. So if some of your friends have received mercy, why not you?

The Ninevites said, “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish” (Jonah 3:9). Act upon that same hope and test the Lord’s mercy. To perish is so horrific that even if there were only one last straw of an opportunity remaining, the instinct of self-preservation should cause you to stretch out your hand to grasp it.

To this point I have been sharing with you on the basis of your unbelief, but I now would like to assure you—as from the Lord—“if you seek him, he will be found by you” (1 Chron. 28:9). Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). If you would only trust him, you would never perish. On the contrary, you will find treasure far greater than the other poor lepers who remain huddled together in their deserted camp. May His Holy Spirit grant you the boldness to go at once to Him, knowing you will not believe in vain.

Then—once you are saved—spread the Good News. Like the lepers in 2 Kings 7 say, “This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace” (2 Kings 7:9). Share the news in order to unite yourself with the King’s household. Inform your minister of your discovery as well and then proclaim the good news everywhere you go.

May the Lord save you before the sun sets today.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Some unbelievers laugh about going to hell, saying, “All my friends will be there, so we’ll just have a big party!” But hell will be a horrific place. Have you ever burned a finger while cooking? If so, consider how much pain one little burn can cause. Yet it will be nothing compared to “those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7). And though there will be fire, it also will be a place of “darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12).

Isaiah, however, tells us of a God of grace who says to you: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you” (Isa. 49:8). Paul later, quoting the same passage, says that when it comes to salvation, time is of the essence: “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Why not ask the Lord to save you today?