My wife and I were visiting with some friends who had known my father, Dr. M. R. De Haan, when he was the pastor of their church. His ministry had left a deep and lasting impression on them. One woman told about an unforgettable experience that happened 50 years earlier.

She was listening as my father preached on God's judgment and the reality of hell. As he neared the end of his sermon, he stopped abruptly. For an entire minute he didn't say a word. All that could be heard was the ticking of a large clock on the wall. The sound seemed to grow louder with each passing second. In fact, the steady "tick-tock" became almost deafening to those under conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Then with his commanding voice my father reminded the audience, "You are now one minute nearer to eternity!" The woman who told me the story said that she was frightened. And even though she didn't receive Christ that evening, the experience of hearing that ticking was so vivid in her mind that it ultimately led to her conversion.

Are you headed for heaven? If not, may each passing second remind you that you are one tick of the clock closer to an eternity without Christ. Receive Him today!  — Richard De Haan