I want to share a story…

It’s early morning and I get up, fix a cup of coffee and sit in my favorite spot. A comfy old recliner in the corner of my third floor apartment. I sip my coffee and think of all the things I have to do today. I set my cup down on the little table next to my bible. I need to read this morning. It’s been a minute. But I have so much to do. I don’t really have time. Maybe tomorrow.

I finish up my coffee and start a load of clothes. I groan as I think of the chores that lay ahead of me on this day off work. Oh well, no use complaining, better get it started.

The phone rings and it’s momma. As usual, she is bugging me about church tomorrow. I appease her by telling her I will try and be there.

A couple of hours pass and I can finally sit down. Chores done and I have the rest of the day to chill! Maybe I’ll call momma and see if we can have lunch.

The phone rings and her voicemail picks up. Of course, she never checks her messages so I don’t leave her one. I type a quick text and open up facebook to scroll through.

I’m not sure what’s going on but several of my friends have family missing. Oh wow! One of my co-workers can’t find her 3 month old. What in the world???

I call momma again. Again, voicemail picks up. This time I leave a nervous message and hang up. Maybe I’ll drive over and check on her.

I get in my car and start down the road. There sure are a lot of accidents this morning. Almost at every turn there are wrecks. I carefully avoid them and finally make it to her house.

I knock but no answer. I use my key and head on in. I’m calling out for her so I don’t scare her. She scares easily. No answer. I walk in the kitchen and see the coffee pot, half full, still on. I call out again. Again, no answer.

I walk in the living room and see her coffee on the end table and her open bible laying on the couch. I walk over. So many highlights and notes written lovingly in the margins. Something tugs at my heart and I think, maybe I will go to church with her tomorrow.

Then I notice the cross necklace laying on the couch. The one she never takes off. Something is tugging at the back of my mind and I struggle to think.

Then I remember. I remember as a teenager in church, rolling my eyes as the preacher talked about Jesus coming back for us. I remember thinking that the story he told of us being carried away was just something in the Bible to make us feel better about the way the world was now.

Panicking, I run through the house, willing her to show up in another room. Nothing.

I go back to the couch. My hands shaking, I pick up her bible and my mind goes back to everything I learned while being forced to go to church. I suddenly remember my momma telling me that one day Jesus would return and it would be too late to call on him.

But that was just stories, right??

I called my best friend. She picked up on the first ring. She was hysterical. Her 4 year old baby sister was missing. Just vanished from the living room where she was watching Saturday morning cartoons and eating her Frosted Flakes.

I dropped the phone. I could still hear her screaming from the speaker.

I dropped to my knees begging for it not to be. What was I going to do??

Could it be true? Could they all be gone and I’ve been left?

Wow. What a story. Is it true? Not yet. But it will be. Unfortunately, one day, this story will come to fruition.

Friends, call on Him now. Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while He may be found Call upon Him while He is near.”

Tomorrow may be too late…