“A valid passport”

 Think a minute…Some time ago I took a trip to another country. When I arrived at the airport there was a long line of people waiting to check in. But I wasn’t worried since I already had my ticket with a confirmed seat on the plane.

When I finally handed my ticket and passport to the airline clerk, she looked at me, then at my passport photo, and said: “This isn’t you.” Immediately I knew that in my rush I had grabbed my son’s passport instead of mine. The airline clerk said:  “I’m sorry, Sir, but we cannot let you travel on your son’s passport.” And of course she was right. No matter how nicely I asked or even begged her, I could not go anywhere.

A teacher once asked her class: “How do people get into heaven?” A little boy shouted: “You gotta be dead!” And he’s right…well, half right. You not only have to be dead, but you also have to be ready to be dead. To get into God’s country, you have to have a valid, current passport. It is your only ticket in. But only God can issue passports for people to enter His country called heaven.

When I faced my crisis at the airport, I was fortunate I had time to go home to get my own valid passport and catch the next flight. But none of us knows when our flight from this life to the next is taking off. We’re leaving, ready or not, with or without a valid passport. And there will not be another flight that gives us more time to get ready.

The great news is no one wants us to be ready more than our Maker. That’s why He has done everything He can for us. He even became a human being named Jesus Christ to give us our own passport and citizenship to come home and live with Him.

The only condition is we must ask and receive His gift on His terms. We must start our life again—only this time live His way. But that’s the best part: His way is how He designed us in the beginning to enjoy living life to the fullest.

Remember, there are only two places we can live in our life after death, so we must always be ready for the right place. Jesus made it crystal clear that we all live forever—either in heaven or hell. That’s why He became a human and suffered the worst death possible for all of our sins.

He’s done everything He possibly can to save us from living forever in hell’s constant, unending pain and agony. In fact, Jesus taught much more about hell than He did heaven so He could warn and save us from the worst imaginable existence that will never end. That’s how much He loves us!

But He will never violate our freedom to choose which He gave us. He will never force us to love Him in return and live His right way. But the greatest news in the world is you can know for certain today that you are completely safe and on your way to heaven.

Right now, will you sincerely ask Jesus to forgive you for all your sins and living your own wrong way? He will then give you your own passport and ticket to His country. Plus, He will help you start changing and living His satisfying way each day—so you can enjoy your journey home to heaven with peace of mind and no fear.

Just think a minute…

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