“The Father’s arms are open wide.”
It came about in those days that the sons and daughters of man gathered before the judgment seat of Christ, to present themselves to the Lord and give an accounting for their lives. My days on earth had ended, and I found myself in a place like heaven, a vast place with no sky above, and a hard surface beneath my feet, with the appearance of white sapphire under my left foot and onyx under my right. Off to my right was an expansive darkness, and to my left was a brightness that pained my eyes if I gazed too long, and yet it attracted me just the same.
I stood in a long line of people, at the place where darkness meets light, with myriads of people in front and many more behind. The line in both directions stretched into the distance, eventually disappearing on the horizon. Many of those around me carried vessels in their arms, while others dragged or pulled various articles, large and small, behind them. What they contained, I didn’t know. Many of the others in line, like myself, came empty-handed. A nervousness pervaded the multitude, as each individual proceeded forward, anticipating the inevitable encounter awaiting them at the front of the line.
Eventually, the line dwindled, and I drew close enough to see a figure in the near distance. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and his feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. No one needed to tell me his identity. I knew. Jesus. More beautiful and awesome than my earthly imagination had ever conjured.
When each person finally stood before him, although I was too far away to hear what was said, a brief conversation ensued, and then each person set forth, many to Jesus’ left (my right), into the outer darkness, and some to his right, into the radiant light. Those heading into the darkness left his presence with head and shoulders bowed, and the sound of wailing trailed behind them as they eventually faded into black. In contrast, those entering into the light did so singing a new song, joyful and exuberant.
At one point, there remained in front of me only three men. The first man stepped up to the Lord and laid a sealed glass jar at Jesus’ feet. “Forgive me of my sins,” I heard him say, “for they are few.” Then Jesus pointed to his left and said, “Depart from me, for I never knew you.” The man bowed his head and shuffled off, into the dark.
The second man, pushing a wheelbarrow, approached Jesus, and dumped the contents of the wheelbarrow at his feet. “Pardon me sir, for my sins have burdened me for far too long, and I seek your forgiveness.” Again, Jesus said, “Depart from me, for I never knew you.” And the man went away grieved.
The third man, struggling with a huge trunk, dragged it behind him and then dropped it at Jesus’ feet. “Forgive me,” he said, “for although my sins are many, with this trunk barely able to contain them all, I have still sinned far less than many others more evil than me.” For the third time, Jesus said to the man, “Depart from me and go to the place prepared for Satan and his demons. I never knew you.” This man also went away dejected.
Seeing what had happened to these three men, left me heartbroken. For I knew that the measure of my sins exceeded them all. Resigned to my fate, I stepped out of line and started off, into the darkness alone. Before I’d gone too far, a voice thundered behind me, “Where are you going, my son?”
I turned, and found the Lord standing very near to me, so close I could reach out and touch him. I fell to my face, with tears streaming down my cheeks. “Please forgive me,” I cried.
Not daring to look up, I sensed his presence as Jesus knelt beside me, and then, gently he lifted me to my feet. As I stood before him, I trembled. He said, “Why did you leave the line and not come before me?”
I stammered, “When I saw the other men, and what happened to them, I knew my sin was far greater than theirs. Not a jar’s worth, or a wheelbarrow, or even a trunk could hold them all. No, my sins would fill an entire boxcar.”
Jesus said, “You are right my son, it would take a boxcar.”
Just then, a train whistle sounded in the distance, and the rumble of the train’s wheels grew louder as it drew near. When the train engine pulled up beside us, it came to a hissing stop. Trailing behind the engine was one lone boxcar. Jesus took me by the hand and led me beside the train, and then to the boxcar door. As he slid the door open, I peered inside. Empty. My mouth hung open in shock. Where had all my sins gone? Jesus pointed to the boxcar. On a plaque affixed to the side of the railcar, were these words:
Ron Bay
Sins Forgiven
December 1982
Tears of joy filled my eyes, and once again I fell at the Master’s feet. And once again he knelt beside me. He said, “Do you now understand?” Still confused, I hesitated, and so he explained. “Those three men, and all the others, bringing their sins before me on this judgment day, sought forgiveness too late. For all the years they lived on earth their sins meant nothing to them, and they ignored the salvation I offered. They chose to live life on earth apart from me, and so, they will spend eternity the same.”
I said, “And those in line, the empty-handed, what about them?”
Jesus said, “Like you, they recognized their sin during their lifetime on earth, and sought forgiveness in me. They came empty-handed because their sins were forgiven and I remembered them no more.”
I was speechless, but couldn’t move, unsure of what came next. Jesus smiled, pointed to his right, and said, “What are you waiting for? Go, enter into the joy of your Master.”
And so I did, skipping and singing as I journeyed into the light.
I pondered these things for a week or more, prior to putting my thoughts to paper. The sermon this morning was on Hebrews chapter one, focusing on the preeminence of Jesus Christ. Fitting I suppose, since without him, I too would end up spending eternity apart from God. The final song this morning was also fitting, and as thoughts of Jesus, redemption, the weight of my sin, and his wonderful grace flooded my mind, I found this chorus difficult to sing, with tears of joy, not sorrow, choking my voice.
O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Which led me to another line in the song:
Oh, what a Savior
Isn’t He wonderful?
Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” -2 Corinthians 5:10
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy my book, Pondering God.
Pondering God 