Ready Now

It was a cold, Friday morning. A sea Captain was walking down a city street. He saw a poorly dressed boy looking in a window. The Captain said to him, "What are you looking at young fellow?"

The sad-faced boy said, "I was just watching the people in there eat."

"Well," said the Captain, "I have only thirty minutes before my freighter leaves port. If your hair was combed, I would take you in and get you something to eat."

The tearful boy, brushing his hair with his hand, said, "I am ready now."

"Well, then young man let's go into the restaurant."

As the boy began to eat, the Captain asked, "What is your name? Where are your parents?"

"My name is Bobby Jackson. My mother died when I was about six years old. I haven't seen my father since then."

"And so who takes care of you Bobby?"

The boy said, "Jesus does! My mom helped me to become a Christian. She taught me how to talk to my heavenly Father. He provides for me. I love the Lord Jesus."

The hushed Captain said, "If you have no human friend, I would like to take you with me. You could help me on the ship. Would you like to do that?"

Bobby, looking into the Captain's face, said, "O Captain, I have no one else but Jesus. I'm ready now."

They both hurried to the dock. The Captain introduced him to his crew. "This is my new cabin boy. His name is Bobby but I call him Ready Now."

As Ready Now washed up, the Captain gave him some new clothes to wear. He helped the Captain every day. He cleaned and swept, and kept everything neat as the freighter left its wake in the sea. The Captain loved him as his own son.

After Ready Now had been on board for a few months, he got very sick. He said to the Captain, "I have bad pains in my chest. I want to be close to you."

The kind-hearted Captain took Ready Now in his arms and held him tightly. After a while, he fell asleep. The Captain very carefully laid him in his bunk.

A few days later the ship's doctor came to the Captain. "I have bad news for you Captain. I have done all I can do for him. Ready Now is going to die."

"Doctor," cried the Captain, "Do something. I can't lose him. He is like my own son." However, the boy continued to get worse. One day, the Captain saw that death was very near.

Ready Now, with a weak voice said, "Captain, I do love you. You have been so good to me. But Captain, I am going to leave you. I am going to go to be with Jesus and Mother in heaven. Captain, I see my dear mother. She is looking at me. Oh, she looks so sweet. I see the angels too. Captain, won't you give your life to Jesus? Meet me in heaven, Captain. Jesus loves you. Won't you confess your wrong doings to Him and invite Jesus into your life?"

With deep emotion the Captain replied, "I have been thinking about it, but I am not ready yet."

"But, when will you be ready?" the dying boy asked. "When will you admit your sins and invite the Lord Jesus into your life?"

"Well, I won't put it off much longer."

"Captain, won't you change your mind? Ask Jesus into your life before I die. Otherwise, when will you be ready?"

Finally, in tears, the Captain kneeled beside the boy's bunk. He said, "I am ready now!" His will broken, the Captain confessed that he was a sinner. He asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into his life. He made Him saviour and lord in Ready Now's presence.

A while later one of the crew members came into the Captain's cabin. He found him praying beside the dead boy.

Ready Now had gone to be with Jesus. He had pleaded with the Captain up until the end. He had heard the Captain ask the Lord Jesus into his life. He knew that he would neet him in heaven.

Are you ready now to meet Jesus in heaven? Do you know Him as your personal Saviour? Do you know that He died on the cross for your sins? If not, I encourage you to talk to God something like this:

"Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner. I am sorry for the sins that I committed. Thank You for dying for my sins, as my substitute. I invite You to come into my life right now as my Saviour and Lord. Live Your life in me. I want to be ready to meet You in heaven. Thank You for saving me."

1 John 5:11-12 promises, "that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

- Adapted