It is clear that God’s Word teaches us to live one day at the time (Mt. 6:33, 34). Someone has said “Today is all you have. Today is all you need. Today is all you can handle.” Agreed, but if there be a tomorrow, when it arrives it will be today. What takes place today is greatly influenced by what happened yesterday. The point is, if there is a tomorrow, what we do today will often determine what tomorrow brings.
The rich man of Luke 16:19-31 found out the hard way that “tomorrows are decided today.” Living in the lap of luxury, he gave no thought to those less fortunate. He was not a caring or sharing individual. He was not concerned about God or things eternal. He had everything, but in realty he had nothing. Look what tomorrow brought him:
• Physical death. “…the rich man died…and was buried” {v.22}.
• Spiritual death. “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment…”{v.23}.
• A concern for family that comes to late. The rich man said to Abraham concerning Lazarus – “…I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house – for I have five brothers – that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment”{vs. 27, 28).
• An agony which will last forever. “…you are in agony…between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us” (vs. 25, 26}.
During the todays of his life he was extremely blessed – “gaily living in splendor every day” {v. 19}. But God was not included. He did not show any love for his fellow man. He did not live right and he made no effort to help his family live right. The tomorrow of eternity was decided by his daily life.
Read Luke 16:19-31 again. Note that when the beggar died he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. He is no longer a beggar. Also note that when the rich man died and was buried he became a beggar. All those finer things of life he enjoyed while living did not help him when physical death came calling.
Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. That preparation takes place on this side of physical death. Is that preparation evident in my life? What about yours?
