Casual Security
Casual Security [1]
A number of men are upstairs in a house, amusing themselves with a game of cards. What is that? The window is red! What is that cry in the streets?' The house is on fire!' says one.' Oh,' answers another, 'shuffle the cards again, let us finish the game; we have plenty of time.' 'Fire! Fire! Fire.' The cry rises more sharply from the streets, but the gamblers continue their game. One of them swaggeringly boasts, 'It's all right, my brave boys, yon door leads to the roof, and we can get out at the last minute. I know the way over the leads: it's all right, go ahead with the game.' Presently one of them nervously enquires; 'Are you sure that we can get through that door?' and he goes to try, but finds it locked. 'Never mind,' is the answer, 'I have the key.' 'But are you sure you have the key?' 'Oh, yes; I am sure I have, here it is; try it for yourself, and do not be such a coward, man; try it.' The man tries the key. 'It will not turn,' says he.' Let me try,' says his friend. He puts it in the lock, but lo, it will not turn! 'God.' he-shrieks, 'it's the wrong key!' Now, sirs, will ye go back to your game again? No, now they will strain every nerve, and labour with might and main to open the door, only to find that it is all too late for them to escape. So many of our hearers are saying, 'Oh, yes! what the preacher says is well enough, but you know we can repent whenever we like; we have power to obtain the grace of God whenever we please; we know the way; have we not been told over and over again simply to trust Christ?and we can do that whenever we pleasewe are safe enough.' Ah, but suppose you cannot believe whenever you phase? Suppose the day shall come when you shall call upon the Lord, and he will not answer; when you shall stretch out your hand, but no man shall regard! Suppose you should one day cry, 'Lord, Lord, open to us,' and the answer should be, 'I never knew you, depart, ye cursed!' O procrastinator, if you think that you can repent now, why do you not repent now? You believe that you have full power to do so! Oh, do it, do it, and do not trifle with that power, lest when the power is gone, you find, too late, that in one sense you never possessed it!
