June 23, 2002
It was twelve O' clock at night and the hospital had quietened down.
Only the occasional low rumble of a stretcher or oxygen cart being wheeled along the corridor disturbed the stillness. The nurse had left the room a few moments ago and Jim Bradley lay there alone. Such a feeling of lonliness he had never experienced before.
That evening the doctor had said "Jim I don't like to tell you this but you have asked me to be honest with you. You only have two days left to live, and you had better set all your affairs in order."
The words had stunned him and for a time he could hardly realise their import. Then a panicky feeling swept over him. A cold sweat broke out in his forehead. He suddenly realised that while his business affairs were in order, he was not ready to die. He had life insurance, fire insurance, tornado insurance, hospital insurance but the thing he needed most at this
hour-soul insurance-he did not have.
His mind darted here and there in search of help. He remembered when he had occasionally attended church someone had mentioned a verse in the Bible that said something about knocking at the door of heaven and Jesus would let you in. Maybe that was his solution. He 'd have to try it.
He would need some good references, some credentials he supposed. A doctor had to get a diploma to practice medicine. To prove how good he was, a teacher had to study and pass certain examinations before she could teach; a diplomat had to have a certain background before being sent to a foreign country. Now he wondered what would he require to get into heaven?
Well, he would just knock at the door and tell the Lord all about the good things he could remember.
So he knocked and said "O God I am about to die, and I would like to go to heaven. I always thought heaven was some kind of imaginary place and hell was fictitious, but now that my moment on earth are numbered, I suddenly feel deep down in my heart that there is a heaven and a
hell. They are terribly real. I don't want to go to hell, Lord I want to go to heaven.
He shuddered and then went on : "Lord I am here in this hospital bed, and I'm knocking at your door. You remembered I attended church sometime when I was young, even taught a class of boys in Sunday school a while. I helped the Red Cross, I gave to the community chest every year, I always gave fifty cents to that blind man on the corner,- and Lord, don't you remember how I
bought some tickets for the church socials to help the church along? O God will you let me into heaven? I guess my credentials are not too good but let me know somehow if you will let me in, so I'll be sure. I want to be sure!"
He paused, a sob in his throat. Nothing happened. He still felt afraid and panicky. What was he to do? He was in despair.
Then the thought came to him: when I want life insurance I sent for an insurance man; when I am sick I phone a doctor. If I want to buy some real estate, I call a realtor; when I want soul insurance I should send for a minister. But which minister? I've heard it said that many of them no longer believe the Bible. What shall I do?
He moved restlessly in bed and began to tremble violently "I waited too long, that's what if ...too....late!" His eyes filled with tears.
Suddenly he remembered that in one office where he had worked, there had been a young man who had frequently talked o him about his soul. He had always laughed him off. What would'nt he give to talk to him now! He knew he had moved to another town but he didn't know how to locate him.
He recalled that this young clerk had often talked about his pastor. He had a church on the
outskirts of town, and it was always crowded, and people were being saved. That sounded foolish to him then- just so much religious nonsense,- but now he was ready to grasp at a straw. What was that minister's name? Brown-John, Brown that was it. The moment the nurse came back, he would ask her to telephone the Rev. Mr. Brown and request that he come to see a dying man
early in the morning. He fervently hoped he would live till that morning.
Early the next morning pastor Brown came into the room. He slipped over to his bed side and then without any preliminaries opened his Bible and began to read Isaiah 1:18 "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sin be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool" The minister looked at Jim, and
said earnestly, "That is what Jesus has promised to do for you if you come to Him."
Jim Bradley looked surprised.
"Do you know preacher Brown, I had it all wrong" he said "I knocked on the door of heaven last night and I told the Lord about all the good things I had done and He never seemed to hear a word I said. I was off the track completely, wasn't I? He want me to tell Him about my sins, didn't He not about the few kind things I had done. That's entirely difference"
Pastor Brown looked at him and said softly, that's in a nutshell. The world is always moving forward on its supposed goodness or accomplishments but God works in reverse. He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance [Matt 9:13] He is calling you now. Here is His words to you: "He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him" John 3:36
The minister went on to say "Just confess to Christ your need of him, because you are a sinner. Believe that he washes you white as snow. Just trust him and receive him as your saviour and you will gain entrance through that door that seemed so tightly shut against you"
Jim Bradley lifted up his heart to God. "Lord I'm a sinner and I know it, you died to save me. Oh forgive me and make me thine now Lord-now!"
He waited silently. The room was very still. The minister bowed his head in prayer as Jim prayed. A moment later, Jim opened his eyes and the light of heaven was in his face.
"I am forgiven I" he cried, "God has saved me. Oh it is wonderful! All my tears is gone and I have peace. I knocked and the door opened and Jesus said "Come in" . Oh I'm so happy!"
Jim Bradley died that night. His was conscious to the last, rejoicing in his new-found saviour. His nurse was so impressed by the change in him that she too found Christ as her Redeemer.
Friend you read it all, it is now left for you to decide.
For more help, write or contact any Deeper Life Bible Church near you or email me garbater@hotmail.com
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