The 'Collage' album of the Katinas happened to be playing in the car stereo on the drive home. As I went through Military Cut-Off to go down Camp 7 I decided to go to the last track, 'Home' (watch it here).
It never fails. My mind was brought back to the 16th of September last year, at around 4:10 in the afternoon, when my Mom called me to say that Dad had stopped breathing.
Manong Max drove us home, and 'Home' was the song that was playing, and I couldn't help but agree that there was no better song to listen to at the time. I was crying. Not because I lost my Dad, but I pictured the angels picking him up to go home.
They say that the loss of a loved one hits even months after they leave. This is one of those times, and I cried - again, not because I lost Dad, but because he gained Him. I miss him, but I am assured that he is with the Lord. I know this because before Dad died he confessed with his mouth that Jesus Christ died on the cross and was raised from the dead (Romans 10:9).
It wasn't because of all the good he did. It wasn't because he was very supportive of the church. It was because he chose to believe in Jesus Christ and he accepted Him as his Lord and Savior.
I believed up until the last breath that my dad took that it was possible that he would leap out of his bed completely healed. But I also believed that if it was his time to go, then Jesus Christ would still be victorious.
Would you like to have the same assurance for yourself, or for a loved one?
Nobody alive is beyond the salvation that the Lord offers. Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us - He recognized that it is impossible in all senses of the word for us to have a relationship with God - Yahweh, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Jesus knew it is impossible for us to have a relationship with God despite all our own efforts and good intentions.
We are all sinners, separated from God, separated from His blessings, His promises, and His kingdom - Atonement of sin required sacrifice, and though we sacrificed every cell of our being it would never be enough - Jesus Christ came to live as one of us, to be tried with every temptation known, emerging sinless. He presented Himself to serve as the only sacrifice that could be given for all of us to be free from sin and saved into eternal life.
My friends, we will never know when we go. God forbid that you go before having a chance to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Pray this simple prayer in the privacy of your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins. Please come into my heart and save me. I accept You as my Lord and my Savior, and I believe that from now on, my name is written in in the Book of Life. Thank You Lord, for saving me from hell. Amen."
God bless you.
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