Have you ever stopped to think about your life and where you are headed?  I have.

Many times we get caught up in this world, more often than we care to think, but for all of its amusement, entertainment and possessions, none of them will go with us when we die.   It’s so easy to get distracted, and before we know it, we look up and another year has passed.  Our children enter another a new grade, we turn a year older, and at times we want time to stop and let us catch up.  The speed this life takes never seems to allow us to stop and think on our ways.  We are over committed, over worked, overly tired and life keeps speeding by us at a break neck pace.  But time stops for no one. As a lyric in a song says, “time just moves on down the line, and there’s nothing left but time.”  Until one day time stops and there is no more tomorrow.  No more time to teach, no more time to serve God, no more time to set aright things which are amiss in our lives.  Then what?

As in the account of the rich man and Lazarus, once we cross over into the eternal, there will be no more chances to repent of anything, no more chances to obey the Gospel, no more chances to serve God.  What direction will you take?  One direction leads to Him and one to Satan.  A most sobering thought.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:  the rich man also died, and was buried, And in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:  but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:  so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house.  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham:  but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”    Luke 16

Time ran out for Lazarus and a new life began.  Eternity without suffering and hunger.  Eternity where he was comforted.  Conversely, time ran out for the rich man.  He could have lived differently, but did not choose the right direction for his life.  While there was time, things could have been much different for him.  He could have been with Lazarus, but he opted to live as he wanted and death came and eternity in torment began for him.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:  and he delighteth in His way.   Psalms 37:23

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with Mine eye.”    Psalms 32:8

“He restoreth my soul:   He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His names’s sake.”    Psalms 23:3

It is in moments of quiet reflection these thoughts come to us, and the thoughts can be frightening, for none of us know when we will vacate this life.  And though we don’t want to dwell on death but live our lives, we must think about eternity and work toward spending eternity with Him.  We will not get to heaven by accident.  This life is preparation for heaven.  Heaven is a place for prepared souls.

Let us think on our ways, and not let the world distract us as the rich man in Luke 16.

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”    Proverbs 3:6

Eileen Light

As a Bible school teacher, I have some favorite stories I like to teach. I like them for different reasons. For instance, I like teaching the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I like it because I find a little humor in Elijah’s encouraging the people to keep calling on Baal because he might be asleep, might be travelling, might not be able to hear them.

I enjoy teaching the story of Naaman. I enjoy it because I see such faith and strength in a young servant girl, and I can see that kind of faith in the children I teach.

In my series of lessons on the life of Christ, I find the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus fascinating; and so do the children. They are eager to ask questions, sometimes questions for which there are no definite answers.

Luke relates this story that Jesus told His disciples and the Pharisees. It is found in Luke 16:20-31. Lazarus was a beggar and sat at the gate of the Rich Man. His body was covered in sores, and he was hungry. The Rich Man did not offer Lazarus any food or any help.

Lazarus died and was carried by angels into a place of comfort called Abraham’s bosom. The Rich Man also died and went to a place of torments.

In this place of torment, the Rich Man could see Abraham and Lazarus. He called to Abraham and begged him to allow Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch his tongue. He said, “I am tormented in this flame.” Abraham told the Rich Man, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish” (Verse 25 ESV). He also told him that there was a great gulf or chasm that was fixed, and no one could cross it.

The Rich Man also wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to talk to his five brothers so they would not end up in this awful place. Abraham told him, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Verse 29).

The Rich Man continued to beg, and he told Abraham that surely if someone returned from the dead, they would repent (Verse 30). Abraham’s answer ends this story. He said, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Verse 31).

I like this story because it gives us some insight into what will happen to us when we die. Let’s look at what we learn from the Rich Man:

1. We don’t go immediately to heaven. There is a place where we will go to await the coming of Christ and the Judgment Day.
2. How we live on this earth determines where we will go. The Rich Man kept everything for himself. He saw Lazarus every day as he entered the gate to his house, but he didn’t offer him even a crumb. Selfishness can cause us to lose our souls.
3. Not everyone is going to a place of reward. This story proves that there is a place of punishment.
4. It is hot and dry in this place of punishment. There is no water otherwise the Rich Man would not have begged for water.
5. There is fire in the place of punishment. The Rich Man said he was tormented in the flame.
6. Those in this place of torment will beg for mercy. The Rich Man begged for just a drop of water, but no one could go to him to relieve his suffering.
7. There is a barrier between the place of reward and the place of punishment that cannot be crossed in either direction. Once you are there, there is no going back and forth.
8. One cannot return from the dead. Contrary to some, there can be no contact with the dead.
9. There is memory, at least in the place of punishment. The Rich Man could remember that he had brothers and that they needed to repent.
10. There is recognition. The Rich Man recognized both Lazarus and Abraham because he called both of them by name.

Now let’s look at what we learn about the place of reward:

1. Lazarus was carried by angels to his place of reward. What a comforting thought that in death there will be an angel to carry one to a place of comfort.
2. There will be protection in the place of reward. The Great Gulf will keep those in the place of reward safe from harm.
3. There will be awareness in the place of reward. Abraham knew the Rich Man and what he had done on earth.
4. The place of reward is a place from which man will not return. This earth and the problems and pain associated with it will not trouble those who have left this life.

Paul wrote in II Corinthians 11 about all of the afflictions he had endured during his lifetime. He had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, stranded overnight in the water, left in the cold, robbed, confronted by false teachers, and left hungry and with clothes. He had experienced many trials by those who claimed to be followers of Christ. In all of this, he rejoiced.

Paul told Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (II Timothy 4:7-8).

Oh that we might all be able to say those same words as we wait for the angel to carry us to a place of reward.

Sandra Oliver