Then What? (NIV)

Hey, I’m going back to school...finishing my degree! Great! Then what? Well, I’ve had my eye on the president’s job ever since I came to this company. You never know. Woo! Woo! Then what? Well, with all the dough I’ll be making, it’d be a cinch to marry a beauty queen and build a mansion. Hoo boy! Then what? Why, we’d have some perfect children, and we’d send them to the best schools and take expensive vacations. Perfect! Then what? Oh, then I suppose after awhile I’d ease into retirement, spoil the grandkids, travel the world… you know, do the grandpa bit. Sounds like fun. Then what? What do you mean, then what? I’d die, I guess, and everyone would come to my funeral and say what a great guy I was. Hmmm… Then what Then what? Then what?!? Then what? You know, most of us are like this man: He knew where he wanted to go in this short life, but he never stopped to think about where he would end up after this life- in eternity. In the Bible, God says a lot about how we should live this life. But more important, he tells us how we can prepare for the next life. For example the Bible says… People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) Judgement? I’ve led a pretty good life - not perfect, but no bank robberies or ax murders. Why would I be judged? The Bible also says… All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) None of us measure up to the perfection we need to share real life with a perfect God - not now or after we die. The Bible also say… God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) You see, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died to take our punishment for us. Then He rose from the grave to prove His power over sin and death. When we trust in Him, He will forgive us and give us the eternal life we need to really live now and for eternity. Wow! God loved me enough to die for me! What do I do now? The Bible says that the only thing we can do is stop trusting ourselves and start trusting in Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins. Only Jesus can forgive us and give us eternal life. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36) Dear Lord, I confess that I do not measure up to Your perfect standard. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I now place my trust in Him as my Savior. Thank You for Your forgiveness and Your gift of eternal life. So after you die, then what?