Will you be there?

James Milton Black was a musician and a Sunday school teacher who was a very devoted Christian. One day, while walking through an alley, he saw a very poor teenage girl who was wearing raggedy clothes and seemed to be in really bad shape. She was also the daughter of a drunkard . Out of the compassion of his heart and his love for the lost, James Milton invited her to his Sunday school class and she started attending. James, as he did the roll call on his class, encouraged every student to recite a Bible verse after their name was called. One day, as he did his roll call, he didn't hear the girl answer which made him be concerned for her. He decided to go see what was wrong with her and came to find out that she was very sick. Immediately, he called his own doctor to check on her, and the doctor diagnosed her with pneumonia, which in those days was pretty much an incurable disease. Antibiotics did not exist at the time. The very fact that the girl was absent, and obviously did not answer the roll call, made James Milton very sad and a thought came to his mind  in the form of a prayer: "O God, when my own name is called up yonder, may I be there to respond!”. You got it! James Milton Black is the author of that beautiful hymn that bears the name "when the roll is called up yonder". The girl eventually died.

Black was probably reflecting in the book of Revelation from the following verses:

"...Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life..." (Revelation 20:12 ESV

"And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."(Revelation 20:15 ESV)

The first stanza and the chorus of this hymn goes like this:

"When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more

And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair.

When the saved diverse shall gather over on the other shore
And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.
When the roll is called up yonder
When the roll is called up yonder
When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there."

Allow me to be a little creative here. Even though John Milton, based on his experience, and his inspiration, believed one day God will call our names to see if they are written in the Book of Life. These verses don't really specify how that process is going to look like. It could certainly be a roll call, it could be that God reads your name in the Book, turns His face towards you and recognize you as one of His; it could be anything! But, isn't it God all-knowing and should recognize You without even looking at that book? Your answer is correct, He definitely is all knowing and He can recognize His children at any time. The important thing is that, if you are God's child, your name will be written in the Book of Life.

Could you say, you'll be there when the roll is called up yonder? Mistakenly, some people believe everybody is going to Heaven but that is biblically incorrect. That is called universalism. Your ticket to heaven is not works or deeds, it's a person. His name is Jesus Christ. You have two choices: 1) Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have your name written in the book of life or 2) believe that you can go to heaven by just doing good works and be thrown into the lake of fire. Which will it be? Again I ask, will you be there?

How can you have the assurance that you'll be there. The Bible is full of references that can explain how a person can get saved or be born again, but we'll just mention a few that can broaden your understanding of salvation and ultimately bring you to the feet of Jesus.

First, you have to admit you are a sinner "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 ESV). If you cannot come to the realization that you are a horrible sinner and that you offend a holy God with your transgressions, you are not worthy of His eternal kingdom.

Second, know that the penalty of sin is death. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

Thirdly, know that Christ died for you. "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Fourthly, repent of your sin. "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32 ESV)

Fifthly, have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 ESV).

After carefully reading how you can be saved or be born again, I ask you the question again: "Will you be there?" I'd like you to be there but it's not my job to convict you of sin. That's the job of the Holy Spirit. However, it's my desire that one day you'll be in heaven with me, but that's only possible through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

Right now, would you be willing to pray to Jesus and asking to show Himself through these Scriptures and start a relationship with Him today? I'm pretty sure you can. “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."(2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV). Today, you can become a child of the King.

I hope it's your desire to have your name written in the Book of life instead of being thrown into the lake of fire and suffer forever. It'll be a marvelous experience to know than when the roll is called up yonder, you'll be there. Will you? Talk to Jesus today and become a part of His Kingdom! May the Lord bless you.