From the Elder's Pen JUST FINISH THE GAME Past/Future Articles

One day a group of men were playing in a ballgame when one of them had a sobering thought.  “What would you do,” he inquired, “if you were suddenly made to know that this would be your last day on earth?”

There were several different answers to the question.  Some would rush immediately to the church building to pray; some would rush to those they had wronged and make wrongs right; others would run to pay obligations that were past due.  But one man thought seriously for a moment and said, “I think I would just play the rest of this ballgame.”

This is the attitude of the faithful Christian.  Since the time of Christ’s second coming is uncertain, we are instructed to be ready at all times:  “Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:44).  There are those who feel that they can make last minute preparations when the Lord comes, but the time to prepare is now.  Jesus gave the parable of ten virgins to teach the importance of preparation before it is too late.  Five were wise because they brought enough oil for their lamps.  Thus, when the cry was made: “Behold the bridegroom cometh;” those who had no oil were left outside as the door to the marriage feast was shut.  “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ But He answered and said: ‘Verily, I say unto you, I know ye not.  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 25:1-13).  b.b. bristow.

Bob Craig, Elder