The End of a Season - Are You Prepared?

Duck season came to a close this past weekend, and so did another year of my hunting adventures. As I think back on the times I spent in the field this past fall and winter, I can’t help but think of how fast time slips away. For me, the anticipation of the arrival of hunting season is like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning to get here. Then once it gets here, I blink and it is gone.

That got me to thinking about life in general, and how it could be compared to hunting season.

Typically, hunting seasons are regulated by state and federal wildlife agencies that schedule season dates well in advance. The seasons are strategically planned with a specific opening date and closing date, allowing hunters a limited number of days in the field. While some seasons are rather long, others may be extremely short.

That sure is a lot like our lives. Our Creator has appointed each one of us a specific amount of time on this earth. From the day we are conceived until the day we take our last breath, we are given a limited number of days to live our lives. For some, that number may be quite large and they live to a ripe old age. But for others, life can be very brief.

The difference is this: When it comes to hunting, we know the date the season will end. We can mark it on a calendar and plan accordingly. But life is uncertain. No one knows the time when death will approach. It could be years from now, or life could tragically be taken away from us before the day is over.

My question to you is this: When your season of life is over, where will you be spending eternity?

The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That means that we are ALL sinners, and that we all have sin in our hearts. Sin separates us from God.

Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We will all face physical death someday, but our souls will live on forever in either Heaven or Hell. The Bible says that Hell will be an unquenchable fire where there is much torment and agony. But God offers us the free gift of salvation and eternal life in Heaven with Him - if we choose to receive it.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for all our sins. He loved us enough that He gave Himself for us, and took the punishment of all the sins of the world upon Himself. Salvation is not something we can earn by doing good works or by being good people. Religion and church membership won’t save you. It is because of Christ’s love for us and by His grace that we are saved.

Romans 10:13 clearly says this: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It doesn’t say only rich people, or only people of a certain race, or only people who go to church – it says “whosoever” – that means anybody.

In Romans 10:9-10 we see these words: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” By placing your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and confessing that He is Lord you can be saved.

Have you accepted the free gift of eternal life? You can receive that gift by following these simple steps:
- Acknowledge you are a sinner and that the penalty for sin is separation from God.
- Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was raised from the dead.
- Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and ask Him to come into your heart.

If you are ready to place your trust in Christ, here is a simple prayer that you can pray to God:
“Lord, I know that I’m a sinner and I don’t deserve eternal life. I believe You died and rose from the grave to save me from my sins. I ask you to come into my life, forgive me of my sins and save me. I am now placing my faith and trust in You, Lord. I accept your free gift of eternal life.”

If you prayed that prayer, I would love to know about it so that I can pray for you as you grow in your walk with the Lord. You can let me know by leaving a comment at the end of this post or by using the “Contact Me” button on the right side of the screen to send me an email.

Don’t let your season of life come to an end without being prepared!