As I was preparing for Sunday’s sermon I was thinking about Judgement Day. Jesus said he would return someday. It has been over 2000 years and many do not think it will happen in their lifetime and there does not seem to be any preparation for this event. It appears that people do not actually think it will take place. 2 Peter 3:1-13 sums this up. “3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
This is a powerful passage of preparation but many do not prepare, as they do not fear God. As I have been pondering the Day of Judgement, I realized that we are looking at it wrong. Yes that day is coming and we had better be ready but in reality we had better be ready right now. Every generation has an opportunity to be ready. We have 80 plus years to do that from the time we are born. Some live a few hours, some a few years, a few decades and some exceed 80 and live 100 years. The reason we need to prepare is we are only a heartbeat away from eternity. The next place you will be is either heaven or hell for an eternity. Peter tells us to be blameless, spotless and at peace (meaning you believe his word), and living holy lives. In the blink of an eye your heart can stop and that is it. There are no more chances after your heart stops. Yes you will have to wait for Judgement Day but you can do nothing to altar your course after you die. So take every heartbeat very seriously. Don’t live by the motto –Eat, Drink and be Merry for tomorrow we die; it might be today. Take time today while it is still today and make it right with God. Change directions if you have to but make every effort to live a holy life because in the blink of an eye your life can be over. Ask yourself this question. According to the word of God, where will I spend eternity?
