Significant Milestones

 

In recent years I have witnessed some significant milestones in life. Firstly, my old aunt of 90 years of age passed away. It was a wonderful release for her as she was sure of arriving safely in heaven when she closed her eyes in death. You may think this to be presumptive or ill-founded. My aunt was an intelligent person who had a career as a school teacher. Many years ago, she had become convinced that her sins needed to be forgiven and that humans are accountable to their Creator. Her hope was based solidly on the following verses from the Bible:

‘The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost,’ 1 Timothy 1. 15

Jesus said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life,’ John 5:24

‘The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance,’ 2 Peter 3:9.

Lessons for Wise Living

This summer I have been travelling, and on one of my trips, I ended up in Iowa, USA. This is one of the five main farming states in the USA: California, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, and Minnesota. The farmland stretches for mile after mile; as far as the eye can see! We stayed on a farm, and in one of my jobs (apart from my initial reason for being there, which was to give a series of talks on the Bible), I helped ferry vehicles from the main farm site to the corn fields they were spraying. On another occasion, I sat in a 'Semi' (we would call it a forty-footer or an articulated lorry) on several trips from the corn bins to the depot where the corn was weighed, checked and then offloaded, waiting transport by freight train to various locations to be processed as either renewable fuel (ethanol) or animal feed. It was, for me, a good reminder that it takes hard work, the right weather and a lot of planning and logistics to earn money and make a living. The guys I talked to were very aware that a good year versus a bad one was often out of their hands. They were dependent on rainfall levels, how hot the growing season was, and many other factors. Mostly, it is out of their control. It's significant that people who work the land or are in high-risk occupations (mining, fishing, etc.) are often more aware of how fragile life is and are more down-to-earth.

Why must we die?

The Bible states that 'it is appointed unto men once to die'. This most obvious of facts is among the most distressing things that we human beings face. I have a friend who committed suicide just before Christmas about eleven years ago. Why - I can speculate but I do not really know. One my friends in Liverpool then found that her partner's nephew has been found dead in his flat. Death comes to us all but why?

Is there such a place as hell?

Rudyard Kipling spoke of six honest serving men in his poem 'The Elephant’s child', lets think about some of these in relation to the subject of Hell. 

Who and Where

The BBC reported on 6^thFebruary 2019 that European Council President, Donald Tusk had spoken of a 'special place in hell' for 'those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it out safely'. It is interesting that a politician refers to Hell in a world which rarely gives God much notice. To be honest only God know the full extent of Hell. Mr Tusk states who he envisages going to a special place in Hell.  He may have big responsibilities within the EU Administration but he has no responsibility in consigning anyone to Hell, that is God's prerogative alone and thankfully the Bible states that His aim is not to get us into Hell but into Heaven.  The scripture records that 'He (God) is not willing that any should perish,' 2 Peter 3. 9.

Early in January 1957 a SASRA preacher came into Billet 454 RAF Henlow, Beds to talk to the men present, about God and the Bible.  Before he left that night he asked three questions 

1. Do you believe in God? 
2. Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? 
3.  If you were to die tonight where would you go, Heaven or Hell?