The Last Chance
“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die or when. You only get to chose how you’re going to live.”
-- Joan Baez
DRIVER DIES A DAY AFTER CRASH, the headline read. The article went on to describe how a 34-year-old man driving an all-terrain vehicle had died from injuries he’d suffered in a collision with a pickup truck.
David was my younger brother’s best friend. They were inseparable. He had a rough life growing up, so it was easy for him to adopt our family as his own. Dad took every opportunity to share Jesus with him, but he wasn’t ready to make any life-altering changes. No matter where or what David was doing, trouble seemed to follow him. He was a good guy with a big heart – he just made a lot of bad decisions. One particular night he got together with some friends who were driving to Nogales, Arizona. They ended up crossing the border into Mexico, and shortly after were pulled over for some traffic violation. David’s friends had some marijuana in the truck. He was thrown into a Mexican jail. Despite efforts by family and friends to get him out, it would be two years before we would see him again. Eventually he was sent back to the States to finish out his sentence. He later married and had two children, but he still hadn’t come to terms with God. He was still living life his way.
I was at work when received the phone call. David had been in a terrible accident. Know one knew if he was going to make it or not. It would take the family hours to get to Tucson, and he needed someone who knew Jesus to be there with him now. As entered the critical care unit, saw his wife. She was crying. could see him through the glass window – tubes running everywhere. A sheet was draped across his face. “Why is his face covered?” asked his wife. She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, “Because it’s gone . . .”
David’s wife stepped out to talk with the doctor and found myself alone with him. As stood beside his bed, gently took his hand. Fighting back tears began talking to him. “I’m going to believe that you can hear me, and going to pray the Sinner’s Prayer. All you have to do is agree with me in your heart, and then you can go home to Jesus.”
I wanted so much to feel David squeeze my hand – something – to let me know he heard me. But there was no movement. stood for quite a while, his hand in mine, praying. But the time had come to say goodbye.
“love you, little brother,” I said, as left the room. few hours later, David was taken off life support, his heart stopped, his life ended. Did David hear my prayer? Did he accept Christ as his Savior? Is he home with Jesus today? I wish could say yes. But have no idea. Whatever did, or did not happen, is personal between God and David.
Why do share such a sad story? Because reality is that time is short. If you are a Christian I’m almost certain there is someone you know who does not know the Lord Jesus. In Matthew 9:37, Jesus told his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. As God’s children, we need to share the message of salvation today, because there may not be a tomorrow, and you and might be someone’s last opportunity to hear the gospel and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. And if you have not accepted Christ, then Revelation 3:20 is for you. Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Today is the day of salvation. It could very well be your last chance.