A minister was criticised quite badly once for tearing a few pages from the Bible while preaching. The churchgoers were very upset, which is understandable.

The minister said we read the Bible the way we want to, only reading the nice and pretty parts. We don’t read those parts that slam into us. We don’t read those parts that confronts our way of life. We don’t read the verses that show us God’s other side, the side that we’re afraid of.

When we only read the nice parts of the Bible, that minister is actually right. We might as well tear the others out of the Bible. Why leave them when they don’t actually have any meaning to us?

That’s why I’m not going skip this verse: 31He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.

One Sunday afternoon I woke up suddenly from an afternoon nap. Covered in sweat from a nightmare, well, it was probably a daymare. A bad one. One where you’re so happy to have woken up, but you can’t shake the mood. It stays lower than low. The bad stuff is stuck in your body and affects your whole mood.

Well, if you’re not right with God, it’s going to feel much worse.

It’s a matter of life and death. You can choose, and I suspect that if you’re reading this, you’ve chosen life. It won’t be a nightmare to you. You know for sure that you are right with God, that Jesus had died for all your sin, and that your place in heaven has already been prepared.

Those people who are not reading this have problems. A big surprise is waiting for them. No, rather a big shock! And there will be no chance to turn around. There will be no escaping it. It will be final.

Often, people experience watershed events in their lives. Something that turns your life on its head. Maybe you can make something like that happen in someone else’s life. Maybe you’re the one who will speak into someone else’s life to prevent that worse-than-a-nightmare event happening in their life.

Someone told me about a course they did with the topic: How to speak into people’s lives. Keep throwing out the bait. One time or another, when that person is ready, they will grab the bait. Because how can they grab the bait if we don’t throw it out?

Ask questions like: What if there really is a God? Have you ever thought what will happen if we had to lay down our heads forever here on earth? Be subtle.

People long for God, a place of belonging. Some don’t even know it. But if we are available and create a safe space for those people, maybe one day they will grab the bait and open the door for a watershed event.

Scripture

Hebrews 10:32-39

Reflection

Are you ready to meet your Father?

Are those around you ready?

Is there anyone you should throw out the bait for?

Prayer

Father, for many people around me things aren’t going well. When my life is over, my chance to tell people about you is over too, and when their lives are over, their chances to hear are over too. Show me how to love them and how I can be your ambassador. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.