In a few days, I may be in Hell!

(James Smith, "A Solemn Thought!" 1865)  Play Audio!  Download Audio

"Are not my days few?" Job 10:20

You may be living as if you thought that your days would be many—living in sin and in folly, and neglecting your everlasting concerns! You may be planning and scheming, as if you were to live here forever, or were at least sure of many years to come. Years! why we are not sure of months, weeks, days, hours, nay minutes! At the best, our days will be few!

If my days are few, then time will soon end with me, eternity will soon open upon me—and I shall soon know what Heaven, or Hell, really is! How solemn!

In a few days, I may be in Heaven! I may see the Lamb in the midst of the throne. I may be joining with the triumphing multitude in the presence of God.

But in a few days, I may be in Hell! In Hell? Yes, in Hell!
In unquenchable fire!
In everlasting burnings!
In unutterable torments!
The sport of devils.
The companion of damned souls.
Under the blighting, blasting, and withering curse of God.
Hell! Who can tell what Hell is?
Who can describe its tortures, its horrors, its terrific scenes?

Are not my days few? Yes! Then I must soon be in Heaven—or Hell.

Reader, your days are few! They may be very few, much fewer than you have calculated on. Suppose they should end! Suppose the decree had gone forth from the eternal throne: "Tomorrow you shall die!" and you were to be informed of it by some angelic messenger who heard it pronounced—how would you feel? How? What would you do? Where would you be for eternity?

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom!" Psalm 90:12