Never Once
One day when Louise fell asleep, she had a terrible nightmare. She dreamt that someone in hell wrote her a letter and it was to be delivered by a messenger. The messenger passed between the lakes of burning fire and brimstone that occupies hell, and found his way to the door that led to the outside world. She dreamt that the messenger walked to her house, came inside and gently but firmly woke her up. He gave her the message, saying only that a friend in hell had written it and needed to deliver it to her. In her dream, Louise was trembling as she took the letter and began to read:
My friend,
I stand in judgment now,
And feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth, I walked with you day by day,
And never once did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never once did you tell me of His story.
My knowledge then was very dim,
But you could have led me straight to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth,
You never once told me of the second birth.
And now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, this is true,
And I called you "my friend" and trusted you.
But I've learned now that it's too late,
Although I feel, you could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet never once, did you show me the Light.
You let me live, and love and die,
Yet, never once did you tell me of the Most High.
Yes, I called you a "friend" in life,
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet when I've reached the end,
I cannot, now, call you "My Friend".
Marsha
Louise awoke with fear in her soul and sweating heavily. The dream seemed so real that she swore she could still smell the acrid smell of brimstone and smoke in her room. She tried to understand the meaning of the dream and she came to realize that as a Christian she failed in her duty to "go out to all the world and preach the Gospel." It was such an awakening that she vowed, that very next day, that she would call Marsha and invite her to church with her.
The next morning, she called Marsha but her husband answered.
"Hello Bill. is Marsha there?" Louise asked.
"Louise? You don't know?" Bill replied with a sorrowful voice.
"Know what?" Louise asked becoming frantic. "Is something wrong?"
"Marsha was killed last night in a car accident. It was on the news last night. I thought you knew."
Be sure you tell all family and friends about our Loving Savior. You may never have another chance to save someone's life.
"And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
--- Mark 16:15
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. "Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" ---- 2 Timothy 4:2
