“His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.” Job 41:24
“Oh, I’ve heard that before,” replied Gail.
“You did? When was that?” I had just spent 45 minutes telling her how to get saved; how she must know that the she was a sinner; how she needed to believe that Jesus died on the Cross for her sins, and that she needed to ask Him to save her from a deserved hell.
“Well, let’s see. I’m 38 years old now, so I was about 30 when someone else told me I must ask Jesus to save me. There just wasn’t time then, with raising the family and all. When I was 25, I heard on the radio how I needed to trust the Lord for my salvation. I felt that I really needed to ask Jesus to save me, but I guess I just put it off.
“Oh, yes,” she continued, “when I was about 12, someone took me to Sunday School. I remember the teacher showed me how I could be saved. Other kids got saved; but, well, I guess I felt I could do it some other time.”
“Well, Gail, you’ve heard the message before. God loves you so much that He hasn’t given up on you. He keeps trying. How about right now asking the Lord to save you?” I pleaded.
“I, I … just can’t. Maybe some other time. I’m just not ready yet!” She again evaded the invitation.
That evening, I learned quite a bit about how God works in people’s lives. It was clear He keeps trying, again and again. Most people have heard the Gospel message many times, and each time they tell God “No,” by not obeying, their heart gets harder and colder to the things of God.
Probably, when Gail first heard the Good News, she was tempted to make the most important decision for eternity. For whatever the reason, she had said, “No.”
Her heart stiffened against the calling of the Holy Spirit in her life. It got hardened even more the second time. By the time she heard the message the third time, it was rock hard; and by all appearances, it looked like it would never be softened again. She had said “No” to God, just one time too many.
Since that night, I have observed that most of the people I have talked to about the Lord have also “heard it before.” Maybe they heard it from their grandmother, parent, friend, Sunday school teacher, or even read it from a Bible tract left in a public bathroom. Many that have put their salvation off in the past will still make excuses to put it off again.
I marvel at the way God keeps on trying. He never quits on us – if there is an interest on our part. What matchless love and compassion God has for us. How sad it is to hear one, who has heard the story before, say “No,” one more time.
One time, it will be their last opportunity. They will not have that “next chance.” Many hope that they can be saved on their deathbed. It has happened. However, there is no guarantee that they will have that opportunity. Even if they have that last chance, there is no telling if their hardened heart may say “some other time” to God’s invitation.
Unfortunately, “Later” is parlance for “not ever” for most people. I often wonder at what is so great about their life that they cannot change? The truth is that it is a manifold deception… deception that there is no urgency, deception that they are “good” people…therefore going to heaven, the deception that all this is just some story. Our enemy is a liar and a killer of souls.
The lost man is a drowning man, although he insists that he is not drowning. What right do we have to stand on the life preserver that will save him, even if he does not think he is in danger? The worst case scenario is that he is hit on the head with the life preserver and NOW he is drowning AND angry. Little it matters, not one of us would with hold that preserver.
None of us can save anyone, we can only plant, water, and sometimes harvest. If they put off their salvation, the Churches hands should be clean, having done our part.
I was waiting for this type of issue. Thank you very much for the place.
True so many say they will play in life all they want then skid into death and I guess get saved but the thing is death can come at the blink of an eye and may be too late to get saved . I wish all would turn to Jesus as His dying on that cross should not be in vain as God loves us so much He gave his only Son to die for us . How many of us would do that for others ? I doubt we would .
We all marvel at how some resist overtures to be saved, while others walk right into it, sometimes after years of being exposed.
Isn’t it true that the common ingredient in all cases where the root of conviction becomes a tree of salvation is the wooing of the Holy Ghost and the sinner’s receptivity to it?
I just saw a kid pray through Sunday that we had labored with and prayed for years with. Something clicked in him and he got it…..just like that!
I wish we could analyze what the difference in him was from one time to the next.
Bro Bill, could you address the this in a future devotion…the factors that you have observed that cause a person to be receptive on one occasion after having been hardened on other occasions? What can we do to steer them to that place where conviction can take root?
Good idea, however, nothing comes to mind right now. A recent post: “One Would Never Suspect” comes to mind. I always wished there was a simple formula to what would get a person saved, but it is different forch person. I often word it that each person usually hasto get to he bottom of their barrel”, but the tom” is different for each one u.
Thanks Bro Brinkworth.
Appreciate the dialog.
Amen! I heard about a youth minister that had reached out several times to a teenager about getting saved. Each time the teen promised he would get saved the “next” Sunday or the “next” Wednesday night, only to turn down the invitation when it came around.
The youth minister visited the teenager on a Tuesday night, pleading with him to give his heart to Jesus. Finally, the teen promised he would respond the next night (Wednesday night). The next day around noon, the youth minister received a call that the teenager had been killed in a car accident! Sadly, the teenager never gave his life to Jesus! He had put it off one too many times! Paul said “Today (right now) is the day of salvation”