«O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption»
(Psalm 130:7).
2012 is an American science fiction film whose plot is focused on the end of the world, supposedly as predicted by the Mayan calendar. The story line consists of the destruction of the world by polar shifts. Violent earthquakes and tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, collapse of cities into the ocean, and Earth-crust displacement that cracks with the movement are some of the major calamities that occur all around the world. Millions of people and animals die because they have no warning about the catastrophe. However, about four hundred thousand people are saved thanks to three arks which had been secretly built in Tibet. To get a spot inside the ark, one has to pay a large amount of money or get on it based on the merits of one’s knowledge or skills. To make the story more dramatic, the main character has to go through numerous extreme situations before finally reaching the ark of salvation just in time. Because there is no place for him, he has to sneak into the ark.
«An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land,» announced the prophet Ezekiel (7:2). Do you believe that only privileged few will be saved— the ones who paid with their merits and endeavors numbered places available for salvation?
The Bible teaches us that God provided abundantly for the salvation of all souls. By the merits of Christ, ever one of us has a great and generous entrance in the Kingdom of God (2 Pet. 1:11). God’s plan includes the cost for all of mankind, with free entrance, for whomever believes in Him (John 3: 16). If someone has doubts, He tells us, «Show mercy» (Jude 22, NLT). Regarding those who we meet on the way, He urges us, «Compel them to come in» (Luke 14:23).
Once a young man was in anguish since he was afraid he had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit. He loved God and trembled at the thought that his sin would leave him out of His Kingdom. «This young man needed to trust the words of Christ, «The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out» (John 6:37). He did not know that he was being entreated by the Holy Spirit who convinced the world «of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment» (John 16:8) and that his sin had already been forgiven when he confessed and repented of it.
Today, we invite you to thank God for His willingness to save and for providing abundantly for the salvation of all, because the only merits that count are those of the Savior’s.