MY FRIEND SONY had an appointment to go to the United States embassy for the fourth time and she was distressed because of the previous failed attempts to get a visa that would allow her to enter into that country. She was anxious to visit her relatives who lived there, but time after time, they denied her the visa. On this occasion, Sony was careless and did not pay attention to the date of the appointment, so when the day arrived, she was not prepared: she had not obtained the title deeds that they had asked for, nor a bank document that would prove her income and her savings. When she realized this, she called me and said, «Patricia, I think it’s better for me not to go to the appointment at the embassy because I am not prepared for it. And you know what? This distress I am going through because of it has made me think about what will happen when Christ comes back to the earth. Am I getting ready for that great final day or will it find me unprepared?»
In the time of distress shortly before the return of Jesus Christ, «it is with a keen sense of self-reproach that (some] have no more power to resist and urge back the mighty tide of evil. They feel that had they always employed all their ability in the service of Christ, going forward from strength to strength, Satan’s forces would have less power to prevail against them» (White, The Great Controversy, ch. 39, p. 619). They will realize that they did not take enough time to have a daily relationship with Jesus and will not be prepared. »Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it» (ibid., p. 621).
Dear friend, God wants to take you to live with Him for eternity and, for His part, has done the utmost He could do: He gave His only Son so that you may find forgiveness in Him for sin. This is the first requirement for you to obtain the visa that gives access to the New Earth: your faith in Christ, which saves you by grace. The other requirement is putting that faith into practice, living a life of dependence on Him that will allow you to be ready when the day you are waiting for arrives. For that, you should be willing to deny yourself and wait.
«Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life» (Revelation 2:10).