While I was working on my next planned post …. I thought of an analogy that I must share !! So come back tomorrow for the beginning of my ‘story’.
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When we approached the border at 1:00 am. with our Mississippi friends, we were all rather nervous. They had never left their country before. Would they be allowed into Canada with a minimal of difficulty?
We did not know.
How long would it take to check their baggage which was light because the airlines had lost everything except their carry on bags.
We stopped at the customs officer window and Vic rolled down his , waiting for the officer’s instructions.
We all had our identification papers in hand….birth certificates and driver’s licences . No visas since none of us needed them to cross on land between the USA and Canada.
The officer looked into our vehicle and asked for our ID.
Then instead of asking us to go inside to declare luggage or belongings, instead of asking whether we were carrying any weapons or prohibited substances or even what we were planning to do in Canada --- he was interested in only one thing.
How did we know each other.
We tried to avoid admitting that we had not met in person until less than an hour earlier. We told the officer we were friends….but that did not satisfy him and we were forced into admitting we had met on line.
That brought fresh questions of how long ago….and why….. what had linked us ? common hobbies? Interests?
In the end, nothing else was important and when he was satisfied that our relationship was honourable he waved us through.
I realized that this is a perfect picture of what it will be like on judgment day .. when each of us must appear before the Great Judge -- God Himself. He is the one who will determine whether or not we will be allowed to cross the border into His eternal kingdom.
Will He be interested in our baggage? No ! In fact most of it will be lost in our earthly travels. We will appear before His judgement throne with only what we have in our hand.
On that Day, He will be interested in only one thing. Our relationship with Jesus !
How did we meet? And why ? What have we done together? Did we share common interests?
Nothing we have focused our attention on in this earthly life will prepare us for entry into the eternal City – Nothing! except how we know Jesus.
Do you know Him? Will your explanation satisfy God when the question is asked of you how and when you met Jesus?
Joh 10:14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own."
1Jn 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."
10 comments:
I also found that hosting a guest that I had never met felt safe because of our shared faith.
How wonderful to see God's hand in all our relationships. . online or live.
My Lord, Julie....I am at a loss for words....I don't think I've ever thought about what the Lord would ask me....this post hit me between the eyes. I thank you for this. I have to give this some thought now....is anything else more important, I don't think so.
Awesome post.... So much food for thought! THANKS gh
Interesting Blog. I've never been asked anything like that at the boarder. Welcome Back!!
Very interesting analogy. Thanks for posting it.
So true...in the end there will be only one thing that matters!
lavinia told me to stop by and read your entry. Good post. Blessings on a great weekend.
Oh I remember going through customs and having to admit meeting Becky online.....
When we had to go through customs at Seattle - a few days later, we had our story all worked out.
I did enjoy the analogy though! It's gives another perspective that we often forget when trying to carry/deal with our baggage!
I love this analogy, Julie! It does make you think.
I remember once when we were traveling by ferry from Victoria back to the mainland and we had missed the last ferry. In fact, so many of us missed it that they finally brought out another ferry. By the time we crossed the border back into Washington, it was pretty early in the morning. The customs officer wanted to know the same thing - how did we know each other and how were we related. Then he proceeded to give us a hard time, and finally admitted that was because of my brother's Police Dept. ID sticker on his truck's windshield. It did turn out funny, especially since my brother wasn't with us - we had just borrowed his truck!
I was reminded of when we were caught smuggling bibles across the border into China from Hong Kong. We had already been across a number of times as had everyone in our group. There was no risk to our personal safety but the responsibility of not wasting these resources that had been provided for weighed heavily on me. Having the right answers for the guard. It was only through God's guidance that the Bibles were not confiscated and through the intuition that he gave me to notice that we were being followed (so that we would lead them back to our hotel room where everyone was storing the bibles until pick up day at the end of the week) that all of those resources got to people who so desperately need them. But how often do we not take notice of the things around us and the nudges and words that God gives us to get us through the hurdles that are before us.
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