My daughter recently worked on a school project and as usual when that is going on, I became aware of the subject. She was using my computer to access information online and then rented a video to take clips for an audio-visual presentation. I was impressed with her creativity as she put the project together and I was impressed with the life of the man she was studying. His name was Mohatmas Ghandi.

Ghandi's life, if we believe the slant given to his history, was one of self-sacrifice and commitment to his country. He attempted to bring all factions together to work for the good of the whole. His philosophy of non-violence has been an inspiration to many for generations since. There is no doubt Ghandi was a man of great accomplishments.

But as I watched the end of the video, the depiction of the assassination of this man who had accomplished so much, I was left with a sad and empty feeling. We cannot know if Ghandi was ushered into the presence of God when those three bullets took his life. Some might say unequivocally that he is in heaven, in the presence of God, because of what he did in his lifetime. But the Bible says different. The Bible says it is possible to do great and wonderful things and still miss the most important step a person can make. Great accomplishments do not equal a ticket into heaven. For unless a man receives, for himself, the gift of salvation offered by Jesus Christ, he cannot be reconciled to God.

It is recorded that Ghandi had great respect for Christianity, as he did for the other faiths active in India. It is recorded that he was almost converted to Christianity at one point in his life. Yet, as far as we know, he did not take that final step. To use a well-known analogy, he looked at the lifeboat, saw that it was good, strong and able to save him, but he did not get into it.

As I watched the re-enactment of the assassination, I wondered if he had time as he was dying, to accept the only one who could save him. Bullets don't usually give you much time. Neither do car accidents or heart attacks or any number of ways in which we die. And I fear that too many of us are waiting - waiting for an opportune time to give our lives to Jesus.

The problem is, none of us can know how or when we will die. It could be today. It could be in the next few minutes. It would be wise to listen to the Apostle Paul as he says ? "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2Corinthians 6:2). For "what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

Marcia Laycock is a pastor's wife and freelance writer living in Alberta Canada.  Her devotional book, The Spur of the Moment has been endorsed by Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and others.  To order, and to view more of Marcia's writing, see her web site - www.vinemarc.com
Copyright Marcia Lee Laycock, 2000, 2001,2002,2003,2004