Thorough Preparation for Eternity
We must make thorough work for the kingdom of God. We must have a preparation in which there is not a single lack. We must have on an armor with no piece missing. We must have a passport, that will carry us inside the holy walls of the city above, and give us a right to the tree of life. We are like Lot fleeing from Sodom. Shall we tarry in all the plain? At our peril we do it. What should we have thought of Noah, if he had settled down outside the ark, saying, in his heart at least, I will wait and see whether or not it begins to rain before I go into the ark; I will have all my plans and arrangements going on as usual, so that if the flood does not come, they will not be interrupted. But Noah could not take such a position. He must leave all and go into the ark, before ever there was a sign of rain. We are not called upon to exercise so great faith as Noah's; for we have abundant signs of the coming flood of Jehovah's wrath; abundant signs that the last sands of time are falling; and that the Life-giver will soon appear. Let us then remember this fact, during our weekly toil, as well as in the house of worship, through the week as well as on the Sabbath, when we rise up as when we sit down, when we go out as when we come in—that we are doing up work for eternity, and it must be prompt and thorough.