The story is told that a man walked by a tombstone and saw the following written on it:
Pause stranger as you pass me by,
As you are now, is once was I,
As I am now, so you will be,
So prepare for death and follow me.
Supposedly, another passerby saw these words and scratched on an addendum:
To follow you, I’m not content
Until I know the way you went.
Humorous, for sure. But packed with a lot of truth - especially about how to live life now to the fullest.
What is the first truth? We all will die. The statistics are in. Every single human being who has ever lived will die. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all sin and break God’s moral law. Sin brings death. Therefore, we all will die.
The next truth is that there are only two destinations after we die. Jesus said so. And if he is God, and came from eternity to describe the next world to us, he would surely know.
One road is broad and leads to eternal separation from God. It’s the road many in our culture and world are on. It’s filled with pilgrims who live according to their own lusts and desires. Ones who have declared themselves to be God and do what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). One where people call good/evil and evil/good (Isaiah 5:20).
The other road is narrow and few are on it. It leads to one narrow gate. His name is Jesus (John 14:6). Through his life, death and resurrection, those on this narrow road, ones who express fidelity and self-discipline to Jesus, are promised the gift of eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14).
Solve the death problem today. Choose Jesus and the narrow road. Be assured of your eternal life in him. Once you do, you have conquered this life’s greatest enemy: death. You need never fear it again. It’s gone. Forever!
And you can now live today to the fullest.