And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.   (Genesis 6:3a)

The men were working together sweating in the hot summer sun. They were carefully edging the small cottage that was on the trailer into the position where it was to be unloaded. Peter was helping the other two (Keith and Des) to move this cottage onto Des’ property up the gully. They had left early that morning and had towed the trailer with the tractor several miles from where they had picked it up.

Des and Keith had known Peter for quite some time now, and had struck up a friendship with him and his family. As time went by they asked him if he would like to go to the little church services where they were both going. He was happy to do this, and their families all had a good interaction with each other. There would be shared meals together and BBQs at one or the other’s homes.

The children went to Bible camps together, and Peter’s wife went too as a kitchen helper. There seemed to be complete harmony between Peter and the other Christians he was fellowshipping with as they all got on so well together. Anyone looking on would have thought that Peter was indeed one of the group.

Des continued to take the family to the Gospel messages Sunday by Sunday, but Peter never made any commitment verbally.  Keith and one or two others met with Des regularly together on a Monday night for prayer for different matters they were concerned about, and Peter was high on their list at these times.

This particular weekend, there had been a preacher who had given a strong Gospel sermon, and Keith and Des were talking it over as they worked.

“What did you think of the message last night Peter?” Des asked.

“Pretty hard hitting wasn’t it?” was his non-committal reply.

“Did you understand it all?” Keith asked.

Peter straightened up from his job, “Yes, I understood it alright, I could see what he was getting at quite plainly”.

“Well, what are you going to do about it?” Keith persisted.

There silence for a moment, and then Peter said flatly, “Nothing!”

To say that Des and Keith were flabbergasted would be an understatement. What more could they say? Here was a man who had heard and clearly understood the call of God on his life and was refusing it point-blank.

They got on with their job in near silence now, and finished getting the cottage into place before leaving the site.

The next time Keith saw Des, he asked if he had seen Peter lately.

“Yes, I have”, said Des flatly, “and his language was shocking!”

“What do you mean?” asked Keith.

“Well, he was swearing terribly, and even using the Lord’s name in vain”, said Des sadly, “And he’s never done that since he started coming to the Sunday services over twelve months ago. It almost seems that the Lord hasn’t answered our prayers for him”.

“Oh, yes He has”, said Keith definitely, “Our prayer was the Lord would speak to him and bring him to the point of salvation, and that was the point he had reached last time I saw him. But the choice was his, and he has made the wrong one! God never forces anyone to do the right thing. You must remember that everyone has free choice in these things.”

“Yes, I guess you’re right”, said Des, “But it’s sad to see it happen right under your nose, and to such a nice guy as Peter too. I had such high hopes for him!”

From that time on, Peter never went near a church again. God had indeed spoken to him for the last time that Sunday evening, and he had refused once too often. Be sure that you don’t make this same mistake, as the results will last with you throughout eternity, and eternity is a long, long time to be full of regrets and memories of what might have been.