Westminster Theological Seminary Devotional - 97-06-30 - An Evil Time

Ecclesiastes 9:12, "Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them."

Summer is the time of year when many take vacations at a shore resort or rent a beach house. A lot of people in my area head to the shore of New Jersey every weekend. Since it is only two hours to the shore one can even go and return on the same day. On June 30, 1900 there were a lot of people at the shore in Hoboken, New Jersey. And sadly for them, 97 years ago today, 325 of them perished in a pier and steamship fire in Hoboken. I do not know if there is going to be a special remembering time in Hoboken today, I doubt it. I just stumbled across a mention of the disaster in a book I was reading over the weekend. But it got me to thinking, I wonder how many of those 325 went to the dock thinking that, "This is it! Here is where my mortal life ends"; I bet none. Some thoughts:

  1. Those who confess their faith in Christ and His merits and seek forgiveness through Him will never see each other for a last time. "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are enrolled in heaven..." Hebrews 12:22, 23
  2. Only those who do not fear sin should fear death. The follower of Christ, by dying, seeks to live. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
  3. In the death of a follower of Christ there is always a funeral. There is a funeral for that saints suffering, tears, wants, struggles, and each and every worry. "And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be death; there shall no longer be mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
"Seek the Lord while He may be found: Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:6, 7

Soli Deo Gloria,
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