118. Завтра приду

We hear this word from people: “I’ll come tomorrow.” This word is spoken by a person when another calls him to him; Then he, either busy with some business, or having some other need and not being able to leave his house, answers the one calling him like this: “I’ll come tomorrow.” Christians! Christ calls us to Himself, and calls us always and unceasingly: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Thus, Christ the Lord calls all sinners to Himself to repentance and through repentance. But many Christians put off this repentance and, as it were, refuse Christ, and although not with their lips, but with their hearts they say: “I’ll come tomorrow.” Everyone has this thought and word: “I’ll come tomorrow” in their hearts, who puts off conversion and true repentance day after day. All of them say in their hearts: “I’ll come tomorrow.” The fornicator, adulterer and lover of uncleanness says: “Tomorrow I will come.” The drunkard and sensualist says: “I’ll come tomorrow.” He who lives in pride, pomp and vanity of this world says: “Tomorrow I will come.” The money lover, thief and predator says: “I’ll come tomorrow.” Every sinner who lives in sins and does not correct himself says: “Tomorrow I will come.” And many put off their repentance until illness, many until their death. They don't even think about him. Such people certainly say in their hearts: “There is no God” (Ps. 13:1). O poor sinner! Why do you promise yourself tomorrow, which is not in your power, but in God’s? What if you can't wait for tomorrow? What if by royal decree the Heavenly King Lord calls you not to repentance, but to accountability and judgment?! What fear, trembling, horror and despair will then confuse your soul! Death follows everyone along an invisible road and abducts a person when he does not wait, and where he does not wait, and how he does not wait. What if she comes to you with such thoughts and silently exclaims to you: “Go, man, the Lord Almighty is calling you!” What? Will you then say: “I’ll come tomorrow”? No! Although you won’t want to, you’ll go. But with what hope, I don’t know. Sinful soul! God promised us His grace and mercy, but He did not promise us tomorrow. And the Holy Spirit says: If you would now listen to His voice: “Do not harden your heart” (Ps. 94:7–8; Heb. 3:7–8; 4:7). The preachers of Christ know that they preach repentance and proclaim to sinners: “Repent and come to Christ.” But the sinful soul answers in its heart: “Tomorrow I will come.” Blind sinner! Consider and look around who you are denying in your heart: “I’ll come tomorrow.” God and your Lord, your Creator, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, calls you; the generous and merciful, long-suffering and abundantly merciful Lord calls; calls kindly, calls Jesus your Redeemer, who suffered and died for your salvation; calls - so that you do not fall into eternal destruction and death; calls to His eternal kingdom and bliss. He takes pity on you, like a merciful one, so that you do not perish. But you answer Him with a thought, an unrepentant disposition, and a faulty heart: “I’ll come tomorrow!” It is shameless to refuse an earthly king, much less a lower ruler, and say: “I’ll come tomorrow.” It is very difficult and shameless for the Heavenly King to refuse and answer: “I will come tomorrow.” It’s hard and shameless, but also scary. For there will be a time when sinners will want to come to Him, but the doors will be closed. Then they will hear: I don’t know you; you did not know Me, and I do not know you; you did not listen to Me, and I do not listen to you (Luke 13:25–27; Matt. 25:10–12). He called, and you did not listen; I stretched out My hand, and there was no one who heard; and you rejected all My counsels, and did not accept My reproofs. For this reason I will laugh at your destruction; I will rejoice when horror comes upon you (Prov. 1:24–26). Therefore he says: If you would now listen to His voice: “Do not harden your hearts.” Do not hesitate, sinner, to turn to the Lord - lest you experience for yourself, instead of God’s mercy, God’s judgment. We come to Christ not with our feet, but with our hearts, not by a change of place, but by a change of will and morals for the better. Whoever changes within himself, and, having abandoned the evil custom, cleanses himself by repentance, and is careful of all sin, and pleases the will of Christ, he goes to Christ and no longer says: “Tomorrow I will come,” but with the prophet he says: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready (Ps. 107:2). Here I come! I will get up, go to my Father and say to him: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son; accept me as one of Your hired servants” (Luke 15:18–19). Oh, how kindly Jesus Christ looks at such a soul returning and going to Himself! Ah, My son, who perished, returns to Me whole! (Luke 15:24). Having mercy, I will have mercy on him and give him generous gifts (Jer. 31:20). Rejoice, Angels, for the lost drachma has been found. My son, who was separated from Me, returned to Me healthy. My dear creation, man, created in My image and likeness, but who perished, came to life again. Poor sinner, let us also rise and quickly hasten to our gracious Father. He is waiting for us and embraces those who come with open arms. We will not find peace anywhere or in anything except with Him. He alone calms us: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. It’s enough to hesitate on the other side; the evil master has plenty of work to do; full of sins, like unfit horns, to eat. Having risen, let us go to our Father, and He will feed us with the meal that is intended for His sons. Father! I have sinned against heaven and before You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son; accept me as one of Your hired servants! You might be interested in: