0400. ARE YOU READY?

ARE YOU READY?

"How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" (Jer_12:5).

Jordan may be looked on here as symbolic of death. The act of crossing over from this world into the next-from time into eternity-must always be a solemn one. How wilt thou do? Are you ready for the river? This question is-

I. A Practical One. "How wilt thou do?" Something must be done. Can we be prepared to do when dying that which we are not prepared to do while living? It is not what we feel, or think, or say, so much as what we are that will determine what we shall do at that trying hour. Those who trust in Jesus Christ now will have no difficulty in trusting Him then.

II. A Personal One. "How wilt thou do?" No one can do the dying for you. It is your own feet that must go down through the river, your own soul that must meet God. Although, like Queen Elizabeth, you may offer "a million or money for a moment of time," it will profit you nothing. It is not how will your companion or neighbour do? but, how wilt thou do? The answer, the fitness or unfitness, is to be found in yourself.

III. A Testing One. "The swelling of Jordan." A swollen river suggests danger and difficulty. Will your own strength be sufficient to carry you through the flood? or have you the promise of Him who conquered death to support you? "The river is deep or shallow according to your faith," says Bunyan in his "Pilgrim’s Progress."

IV. An Urgent One. "How wilt thou do?" Time is short, life is uncertain, and you may be nearer the brink than you think. Some time ago a Glasgow minister went to see a dying woman, but she said to him, "It’s too late." Her feet were already in the swelling of Jordan. How wilt thou do? What is your answer? Will you trust to your Church membership or good works of charity then? These will not allay the swellings of Jordan. The sparks of your own kindling will never be able to exist in the midst of this flood. Will you trust to the craft of your own opinions? This swift-rolling stream will make terrible havoc of that. Such frail things will be swept away as refuges of lies. The only wise and safe thing to do is to yield yourself to Jesus Christ now, and then, "When thou passest through the waters, He will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isa_43:2). "I will fear no evil, for Thou are with me."

Autor: James Smith