He gave her time to repent.
I have had numerous conversations with people more versed in the doctrine of certain religions about "death bed salvation" as opposed to what is written in the Bible than I care to discuss. We all know that we are not guaranteed that final moment before death to accept Jesus as our Savior and walk hand and hand into Paradise. This post is directed at a young lady, VERY close to my heart...but, please, feel free to continue reading - it may help you or you may pass it on to someone else you know in the same "place"...
Yes, I always tell you "God has a plan". If His plan is for you to have cancer, then you will have cancer. If it's not, then you won't. Either way - He does, in fact, have a plan for you. What you choose to do with it is totally up to you. If you choose to not treat it and live out the remainder of your life, it's something I can live with. If you choose death over chemotherapy or radiation, I will hold your hand. If you choose to not have surgery and let your life be over, I will honor that choice. But...in that time, God is giving you yet another choice...He is giving you the choice to choose life - not life in this world (because no one gets out alive), but the choice to choose eternal life - with Him. If they tell you it is cancer, He is giving you the opportunity to come to Him, to accept Jesus as your Savior, to repent (ask forgiveness) for all the times in your life you have failed to honor Him, give glory to His name and praise Him even in the storms that have touched your very short life. He wants to wipe the slate clean - to have His child come to Him and say "thank you for sending Jesus to pay for all my sins so that I may have eternal life with You". He is asking you to acknowledge that you are nothing without His mercy and grace. He is asking you to humble yourself before Him and say you are sorry.
Remember, Heaven knows no pain, no suffering, no regrets - only peace and joy. It is available to all people and the price for admission has been paid - the only thing you must do to enter is accept and acknowledge. If that is where you want to be, waiting for me when it is my turn, make that decision, make that choice, swallow your pride and take the leap of faith - faith not in what I tell you, but in what your soul knows, what your heart knows. Stubbornness and pier pressure - pffft - let them go! The doctrine you've been taught is not enough. You don't get to go to heaven simply because you went to church every Sunday, confessed your sins to a man in a box, received church ordained sacraments as defined by their doctrine...you only get to go to heaven if you believe and accept Jesus!
I love you more than words can describe. If I could trade places with you, I would gladly sacrifice my life for yours. I would walk through fire for you. But there is one man who has already done that - Jesus! Accepting the plan He has for you includes accepting Him!!! Get to know Him through His word (and I know you have a Bible - I've given you at least two of them - but if you'd like another, just let me know). You can start in 1 John (it's in the New Testament) and go from there. If you want my help and guidance, I am a phone call away. Don't leave this life unprepared! Leave it KNOWING that there is a place you are destined to be - that place is Heaven...go there!
