Daily Devotional for Sunday, April 5

The Two Prayers

“And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence,” Luke 16:24-26. 

In this sobering passage, Jesus described a rich man who, after death, found himself in torment. From the flames of hell, he offered two desperate prayers. The first was for relief: just a drop of water to ease his suffering. The second was for a warning: that Lazarus would return to earth and testify to his five brothers so they might avoid his fate. 

Neither prayer was answered as he hoped. The chasm between the rich man and comfort was fixed—there’s no crossing over after death. And his second request was denied because God had already given humanity the Scriptures, the Law and the prophets. If those are ignored, even a miraculous resurrection would not convince their hardened hearts. 

The two prayers reveal two powerful truths. First, the urgency of repentance must be addressed in this life—there is no second chance after death. Second, God’s Word is sufficient to guide us into truth. The rich man waited until it was too late to pray seriously. He lived without concern for eternity, and he died unprepared for what came next. 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

We ought to soberly consider the eternal fate of our acquaintances and faithfully share the gospel with them before they enter eternity.

Steven Ridings