There are millions of reasons and situations that keep people from receiving salvation. Not everyone understands the gift of salvation enough to completely surrender one’s life. Often times, when coming to Christ, it requires you to realize your inadequacies and that the lifestyle you’ve perpetuated has to die, it can take a whole lifetime to commit. When we think of how many breaths we take, how many times our heart beats, how many seconds we live without the blessing of God, it can be daunting. Only the Lord knows how many chances we get to receive His gift and even when on our deathbeds His pursuit of us is unfailing.
And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:14
Within Jesus’ ministry He preached the Kingdom message of God. He taught the importance of being inherently good, and not just by acts. Of course, we now know that with each parable and every beatitude, Jesus was telling us that none of this could be accomplished without His help. Salvation is an exchange of our filthy rags for His glorious garments, it cancels the wages that the consequences of our sin demand. Calvary was the greatest debt relief in the existence of mankind! Jesus took what we did, what we would ever do and covered it with His blood. It’s the greatest love story of our time, why wouldn’t we accept it?
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Somehow, the world has allowed itself to believe the greatest of deceptions; if we can be like God, we don’t need Him. The truth remains, how can what is created be more powerful than the Creator? 7 billion people in the world and everyone matters, everyone counts. To God, everyone is given the opportunity to know Him. Yes, even those in remote locations without access to a church or a bible. We are all created with a desire to pursuit God, to question our existence, and to measure our lives against His Kingdom principles. There is no hiding our hearts from the One who formed us, meticulously, in our mothers' wombs.
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:41-43
We see the grace of God extended to the last moments of a thief’s life on the cross. He had realized that his life deserved such a gruesome end and that Jesus, who had lived a life without sin, was undeserving of a barbaric crucifixion. The thief had robbed himself of a life in the abundance of God. He missed out on a daily rewarding relationship that would have greatly enriched his life, but in the end, it wasn’t too late. God knows us so intimately that He waits for our surrender, even in the midst of our judgement, He offers eternal life with Him. It’s never too late to receive the gift of salvation but, today seems like a good day!