I want to tell you the brief story behind two songs I received many years ago. The first song I would like to mention is called There’s Coming A Day. The subject matter of this song is very heavy and serious, not to be taken lightly. The truth is one day each of us will stand alone before God…and I want everyone in the world to stand before Him as new creations in Christ.
This song came shortly before I was to be married in 1983. Because the Lord had just done a great work of deliverance in my life in 1981. I wanted others to know that without Jesus there is no hope…and that this life is very short…and that we could miss out on eternal life if we don’t surrender to Jesus. There is no way to hide from God. This song was my heart cry for others to receive the healing that I had received from Jesus. Even though I had not yet begun sharing my own experience publicly, I felt the need to express my heart cry to others. These two song became a part of that expression…
Concerning the song, Separation, I wrote the following:
Life is so short. Eternity is so long. The message of this song came in the night as I thought about my own life in relation to God and eternity. I began to think about my need to be ready in this life because after death it is too late. I believe God gave me this “story” song to stun the hearts of listeners into reality. Not many believe in eternal life – in heaven - or in hell. Few see their need for Jesus. God gave this song as an eye opener not just for unbelievers but for believers as well. Hell really is separation from God. Separation from God really is hell.
Matthew 25:31-46 NASB 31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me [something] to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me [something] to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You [something] to drink? 38 'And when did we see You [as] a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did [it] for one of the least of these brothers [or sisters] of Mine, you did [it] for Me.' 41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or [as] a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do [it] for one of the least of these, you did not do [it] for Me, either.' 46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46 NASB
Let’s be like Jesus to those around us today and minister the love of God to the thirsty, to the hungry, to the naked, to the stranger, to the prisoner. Hurting people are all around us. Let’s live the Gospel in a practical way. And remember this truth…that it is the kindness of God that leads others to repentance.
Dennis Jernigan
To hear the songs, There’s Coming A Day and Separation, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/theres-coming-a-day-and-separation/
Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/11/09/16/22/man-2933991_1280.jpg