A few weeks ago we headed to college—to move our son into his dorm for his first year of college. The room was a typical dormitory-style room, a bit dreary like some motels I’d been in, but larger than most since it lay at the end of the hall. It reminded me that it’s the little things in life that make a difference…especially the nice fan sweeping the room.

So up and down, up and down, and up and down we went. During one of our trips back up we joined two other young men and a young lady on an elevator. After everyone selected their individual floors we headed upward. We had almost reached our floor when the elevator stopped. No, the doors did not open; the elevator just stopped.

We had exchanged pleasant hellos when we entered the elevator, but now we discussed our options—as this apparently was not the first time the elevators had not arrived at their programmed destinations. One student finally called the emergency phone and told the operator that we were stranded on the elevator. We were all relieved when the operator said that they would be “right there.”

The operator’s “right there” turned into about 15 minutes, which felt like hours in an elevator with no air circulation on a hot August day. We tried to make light of the situation as only men can do, but the young lady sat down on the floor of the elevator and kept saying, “I’m never riding an elevator again. I knew this would happen. I hate elevators.” She was really quite panicky and we all tried to help relieve her fears.

That incident made me think about eternity a bit. How sad it will be when the time comes for us to “meet our maker” and realize that we’re not prepared—stranded on the way up. The Bible tells us that moment will be like the twinkling of an eye…and that’s faster than a blink. It will be too late to make choices or ask forgiveness…the time for that will have vanished.

God tells us that “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11); and if this was so in the days of the apostle Paul and the early Church—how much more so now? You don’t need to get stranded on the way up, but call out to God for that relationship he intended you and I to have with him. After all, God wouldn’t have made a way for us if he didn’t care (John 3:16). The Scriptures are replete with this truth, and today, I pray you’ll take some time to consider it.