This week I am attending the North American Division Year end meetings at the General Conference Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland which began yesterday. I will be sharing more with you about some of the actions taken in our next visit. But let me share with you an interesting encounter I had as I was taking my daily exercise walk.

I had paused at a bridge overlooking a small stream. As I was looking at the view a man stopped and began to engage me in conversation. He asked where I was from and then what I did for work. When I told him I was a minister he said, "I don't believe in that religion thing". He proceeded to tell me that he had served at the tail end of World War II and then in the Korean War. Then had spent a lifetime in a lucrative profession and was now retired. He said, "I have really enjoyed my life. I've been able to travel the world, buy the things I want and now have a comfortable retirement. I don't really need anything else."

I said, "So what do you see in your future after you've died?" "Oh," he said, "I believe there will be another life. In fact, I believe everyone will have a future life." I readily agreed that I too looked forward to a life eternal. But I shared with him my belief that our only real hope lay in our acceptance and faith in Jesus. He replied, "Well, that may be a fine tonic for you but I've always made my own way in the world and I expect to make my own way in the next one as well."

I've thought about this brief discussion. How many people are there who are just like him who believe they can work out their own salvation. We live in a nation of many self-made individuals. And yet when it comes to our eternal life it is not something we can work out for ourselves. It is only as we come to the foot of the cross and accept Jesus as our Savior that we can have hope of eternal life.

As I parted company with this elderly gentleman I told him that I would keep him in my prayers. He smiled and said that was fine with him. It is only the wooing of the Holy Spirit who can soften a heart such as this. And yet I believe strongly that these are just the kinds of hearts that are softened by God's grace.

As we prepare today for the Sabbath hours let us rejoice that we serve a God who provides for our salvation. It isn't something that we have to earn but it is a free gift of a loving Savior. What a wonderful blessing! What a wonderful realization as we begin these special Sabbath hours with Him.

Your friend,
Jim