Do You Know with Certainty?

Today's post is dedicated to one of my dear mentors, Maggie Chapman.

Today, February 28th is her 35th wedding anniversary. And today at 12:05 am, her precious husband, Bob, breathed his last. He has gone home to be with Jesus. Bob valiantly fought prostate cancer. These last few months have been very difficult.

A little over a week ago, I was visiting Bob - knowing it would be one of my last times seeing him this side of heaven. And he told me he wanted to hold on to February 28th, but was not sure if he could. (Let me briefly share the conversation...)

Me: "35 years of wonderful bliss?"
Bob: (To my surprise) "No, it hasn't been 35 of bliss..." turning to Maggie with a gleam in his eye. "But definitely 25 years of wedded bliss."
Me: "Why? What happened the first 10 years?" (Before you call me Noisy Nelly, please understand, I know them well enough to ask the question.)
Bob: "Because I did not know Jesus those first 10 years. And I was not as good to her as I should have been. But she never gave up on me."

You see, Maggie prayed, and prayed, and persevered in prayer some more for her Bob. When finally in 1988 he waived the white flag and begrudgingly went to Bible study. One month later, he realized he was a sinner, needing a savior. At 51 years of age, Bob accepted Christ as Savior. His life was truly transformed. BC (before Christ), Bob was a man who chased wealth, position, prestige and toys. His motto was, "he who dies with the most toys, wins!"

However, this was not the way Bob ended his life. Soon after 1988, Bob realized that the Bible was the real deal. It wasn't a decoration on a table; it wasn't a book picked up only on Sunday - but it became his Manual for Living; Life's Instruction book. He lived the words found in

Deuteronomy 32:47

They (the words of Scripture) are not just idle words for you - they are you life.

The Bible became his life. His relationship with Jesus Christ became the most important relationship in his life. He exchanged the zeal for more material possessions to zeal for more of Jesus. On his death-bed he boldly proclaimed that the second part of his life was far better than the first half of his life. He had found the Meaning of Life - Jesus!

Why am I sharing his story with you? I hope their brief story can encourage you:

1. If you are a believer and your husband is not - be encouraged by Maggie's story. Pray for your husband. No one is not too sinful for God to reach. Think about Saul/Paul... Think about Rahab. She was a prostitute. Yet we see drops of her blood in the genealogy of Christ. (Matt.1)

Nothing is too hard for our God. Persevere in prayer for your man. Believe God for the man He created your husband to be. Do you realize what a miracle it was for Bob to accept Christ at the age of 51??? Pray. If you are not praying for your man, who is?

2. When you reach the end of you life, can you say with certainty that you will be in heaven?

Can you remember when you became a Christian? Do you remember the transaction that occurred when you confessed that you were a sinner in need of saving? Have you invited Jesus to live in your life?

If your only testimony is that you "joined the church when you were..." or "I was baptized when I was..." I gently ask you to make sure of your salvation.

Joining a church or becoming baptized; sprinkled or christened - does not save us. These are to be outward professions of an inner decision we've made. A personal decision - an intentional act of the will - of inviting Jesus into your life is what saves us.

My sweet Maggie KNOWS that her Bob is in heaven. And she knows with certainty that she'll be joining him one day. As will I...

Do you know with certainty? If not, take a spiritual inventory. If you need to, feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to talk to you about this and pray with you -

Don't let another day go by without knowing with certainty.