Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, January 5, 2018

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot."¹

Some time ago when Dr. W. A Criswell was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, he told how on an airplane flight he was sitting beside and visiting with a well-known theologian. The man told how he had lost a son who, one day, had come home from school with a fever that he and his wife thought was just a childhood sickness. Sadly it turned out to be meningitis. The doctor gave no hope for the boy's survival.

Near the end when the professor was sitting at his son's bedside, the child said, "Daddy, it's getting dark isn't it?"

The professor answered, "Yes, son, it is getting dark, very dark."

"Daddy, I guess it's time for me to go to sleep isn't it?" the boy continued.

"Yes, son, it's time for you to go to sleep."

As the child fixed the pillow on his bed the best he could in his weakened condition and, putting his head on his hands, said, "Good night, Daddy. I will see you in the morning."

Those were the last words the professor's son said as he closed his eyes in death and passed from this life to enter God's heaven.

For a long time, Dr. Criswell said, the professor just sat looking out the window of the airplane. Later he turned again and, looking at Dr. Criswell, with tears in his eyes, said, "Dr. Criswell, I can hardly wait till the morning."

Dear reader, are you sure that you are ready for God's heaven so that when you go, your loved ones will also be able to say, "I'll see you in the morning?" Or, if your loved ones go first, you will be able to say to them with certainty, "I'll see you in the morning."

If not, be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian—without having to be religious" at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the assurance of Heaven that you have promised to all who accept your Son, Jesus, as their Savior. Please help me to know that I am ready to meet you face to face so that I will see all of my loved ones who've gone before. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NIV).

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