Don't put off the decision

"Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side." Luke 16:22,23 NLT

In an article titled, “High School Cross Country Runner Recovering After Suffering a Heart Attack During a Race,” published last week, the following was reported: Bartlett High School cross country coach Kris Harman could tell something was wrong when 17-year-old Gabe Higginbottom finished the 5K race at the Gulf Coast Stampede over the weekend in Pensacola, Florida. “He started complaining about his chest hurting and kept complaining and we went to the trainer’s tent…everybody initially thinks it’s hot, it’s heat exhaustion so give him ice but he’s still complaining about his chest,” Harman said to News Channel 3 in Memphis He was sent to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola Hospital by event staff, before getting transported by helicopter to the UF Shands Heart and Vascular Hospital in Gainesville. Doctors found that the high school junior’s right artery was completely blocked, and they performed an angioplasty to insert a balloon to open up the artery. Later, he underwent a three-hour emergency surgery, where doctors inserted two stents and found two blood clots.

And you know, while less than 10 percent of all heart attacks occur in people under the age of 40, the number of younger people having heart attacks is on the rise. Which is the very reason no one of any age should put off the decision to follow Jesus Christ. Consider the story of the rich man and Lazarus. They both died. Yet only Lazarus entered into heaven. The rich man who had experienced all the comforts of the world "went to the place of the dead," a place so full of torment, pain, distress, and affliction that he earnestly begged for mercy. But there was none to be given to him. You see, Lazarus chose to follow Christ before he died and so spent eternity with Jesus in a place more amazing than we could ever imagine. The rich man, however, did not. And so went to hell. 

So, no matter your age, if you have not made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, do it today my friend. There is no guarantee that any of us will live until tomorrow or the next minute for that matter. But what is guaranteed is this... you determine your final destiny (a choice that cannot be undone after death) by the choice you make while you are still breathing. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that death can come when we least expect it. Help us to truly understand this Lord that we would not put off choosing to accept You as our Lord and Savior if we haven't already, or zealously urging the lost to do so. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!