When the rich man awoke, he felt miserable. He was not accustomed to that, so he looked around to see what had gone wrong. Normally there would be servants coming and going, waitin to fulfill his every wish.
When he wanted to go someplace, he just spoke the word and a servant would come to see that he got there. At dinner-time he could choose the menu, and it would be prepared for him. His clothing was the best money could buy. He lived the life of luxury, but in order to support that lifestyle, it took all of his time. He had no time for God, and now he arrived at his final destination and found it was a horrible place.
Meanwhile, there was another man named Lazarus who was very poor. He had a terrible sickness and was not able to work. His only hope was to get help from others, so he was carried daily to the rich man’s gate. There he begged for food and anything they might give him so that he could survive. Even the dogs came by and licked the open sores on his body while he lay there. But while his lifetime on earth was hard, he took the time to make peace with God. When he died, his eternal destiny was a wonderful place of peace and rest.
The rich man, realizing that Lazarus was at peace while he was in pain, cried out for help: “Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue, for I am tormented by these flames.” But he was reminded of his past life and the life of Lazarus. Besides, it is impossible for a person to change his final destination after he has passed from this life.
That news worried the rich man because he had a large family that was still alive, and they too, had no time for things of God. “Please, Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father’s house to tell my five brothers about this terrible place so that they can escape it when they die.”
That seems to be the way many people feel these days. They are not concerned about the future, so they busy themselves with everyday living and leave God out of thier lives. The rich man was quickly reminded that his family had the writings of Moses and the prophets available to them.
But the rich man knew his family well. He knew that they were very busy with their life and did not have any time for God’s Word, so he asked God to give them a supernatural sign. He though that if Lazarus were resurrected from the dead and suddenly appeared again at their home, they would recognize this miracle as a sign from God. Surely they would change their ways and be saved from this terrible place.
God’s answer never changed. The sad truth is that if people have no time for God and will not obey His Word, even a great miracle will not convince them that they are wrong.
This problem has existed for many years with people who do not want to serve God. Even in Jesus’ day, people asked Him for a supernatural sign, but He told them that there be no sign given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. In other words, they must listen to the preaching of men sent from God, and obey God’s Word in order to make heaven their eternal home.
Today, we face the same decision. Are we willing to listen to the men sent by God, look into His Word and believe what it says, or are we too busy that we do not have time for the things of God? What will it take for us to believe so that we can make heaven our home?
Pastor AL Edmonds
Pentecostal Lighthouse 