Are you coming to the party?

This evening I am meeting up with a few former school friends, to plan the 35th anniversary of our school reunion. We celebrate this event every five years and, it has been a nice evening every time. Even when you don't recognize everyone immediately, memories stir during the course of the evening, and sometimes your school years feel like yesterday.

However, everyone doesn't always come. Some have passed away, others have no interest in their old classmates, some live too far and the trip is too great a distance for them, and still others apparently have more important events.

It reminds me of how it will be when we have died and are in God's glory. There will undoubtedly be a huge party. We will meet up with many people who we knew on earth.

However, there will also be more than just a few who we won't meet up with there. Some will refuse the invitation of our Father. Some live so much in the world that they have no interest in worrying about what transpires after death. Others may only be interested in Mohammed, Buddha or esotericism, Jesus is too far removed from them in this life and so they rather choose other ways in which to obtain so-called happiness. And still others have such busy programmes here on earth that they don't have time in their busy schedules to make an appointment with God.

Admittedly, a class reunion is not a matter of life and death. It is not really a matter of great concern to me if I sometimes skip the meeting. But what happens to me after my death, concerns me a great deal more. Whether I end up in eternal damnation or in God's glory is a difference which determines my entire future, my eternal life.

Anyone who looks for excuses or has already chosen the wrong way, has already lost. When I search for my purpose in life, I should remember that I won't be living on this earth forever. At some stage this life will be over.

What is your decision? Do you accept the invitation to God's great celebration? At some point you will also reach the stage where you are unable to answer any more – therefore: the point of no return...

I wish you a blessed day and joy in anticipation of the great party!

Rainer Gigerich