In the spring of 1981, a young man was flown into the desolate north country of Alaska to photograph the natural beauty and mysteries of the tundra. He took along photo equipment, 500 rolls of film, several firearms, and 1400 pounds of provisions. As the months passed, the entries in his diary, which at first detailed his wonder and fascination with the wildlife around him, turned into a pathetic record of a nightmare.In August he wrote, ‘I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I’ll soon find out.”” He waited and waited, but no one came to his rescue.
In November he died in a nameless valley, by a nameless lake, 225 miles northeast of Fairbanks. An investigation revealed that he had carefully mapped out his venture, but had made no provision to be flown out of the area. *ALL of us need to make specific plans for OUR departure from this life. If we don’t, we can be left in a predicament worse than that young man!”Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” – Matt 7:13-14The Way to ETERNAL LIFE is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Because of His great love for us, Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we might live with Him for an eternity (1 Thessalonians 5:10).We accept the gift of eternal life – (Romans 6:23) by: placing our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ so that our sins can be washed away (Acts 2:38; 22:16). THEN… we are to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13-14).Long ago, Moses bemoaned the sinful idolatry of the people of Israel and where it would lead them, saying:“Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, That they would consider their latter end!” – Deuteronomy 32:29Have YOU considered your latter end? Have YOU planned your departure?Trusting and obeying Christ is the only Way to be prepared…Won’t YOU?
—David Sargent
Church of Christ at Creekwood
