If Only I Had Known
He said, “I thought I still had time, a hundred years ahead.”
“It came as a surprise,” she said. “If I had known, I would have listened.”
Just a short time of pleasure on earth, that’s all it was.
All my plans, achievements, and schedules… I haven’t achieved them, and now I’m here.
So many things I thought I would still do.
Oh, I thought I had time to repent.
“Please, I thought I had more time.”
My time, I thought I had time.
I didn’t know.
What does it profit me to gain everything and lose my soul?
To lose my eternity, my rest
All for a morsel of bread?
For is man not dust?
Everything I have received, achieved, built, won’t I leave them all behind?
What is my gain?
Nothing lasts forever, only salvation endures.
All I have, is it not only for an appointed time?
I thought I knew it all.
The malice in my heart – I thought I knew it all.
“Oh, if only I had known,” they cried.
Just if I had known,
That all men chase to achieve, they achieve for nothing, for it has no gain in eternity.
Oh, if I had known that no happiness on earth can compare to a single minute here.
I would have repented.
I would have chosen to be miserable on earth and be saved, rather than to come here.
The place of humility.
The place of tears.
The place of weakness where no position or title can save anyone.
The place of truth where no hypocrisy can hide.
The place where there is no second chance.
Why should I go there when salvation has already been provided?
Where will my gold be?
My big house, my savings, my successful business, my big ministry, my loving family…
If I perish, what will become of all I have now?
Is my soul not more important than anything else?
Why should I cheat others?
Why should I perish?
Why should I lose my opportunity to repent now?
Why should I cheat on my spouse?
Why should I break my vows?
Why should I perish?
What benefit is there in sin?
That rich man would have given everything he had for his soul
If he had known that the soul was more important than riches.
But now, we still have time.
We still have time to repent and turn to Jesus.
Don’t miss heaven.
You will cry if you do.
