Random people were asked, “What’s your greatest fear?” Many named spiders as their greatest fear, while other people said that their greatest fear is being in a room full of snakes. One woman said that she’ll run out of the room just seeing a picture of a snake.
Some never fly “the friendly skies.” Nor do they care about the airline being “ready when you are,” because they are never ready to fly.
Being afraid of heights fits right in here. Fear of public speaking is the greatest fear of many people. Of course, the fear of death ranks high as the greatest fear for most. What is one fear that isn’t in our list?
Would this possibly be your greatest fear? You come before the throne of God with all His mighty angels standing around His throne. It’s the Great Judgment.
Then the Son of God, sitting to His right, looks you in the eye and says, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). Wouldn’t that be your greatest fear? What went wrong? Why has God rejected you from heaven?
What could possibly be more frightening? All those years wasted. Instead of being in worship, you went camping, or hunting, or fishing; you went to the truck dealership and bought the latest crossover; weather was ideal for playing golf. When the appointed time came to worship God, you always had an excuse to be someplace else.
Maybe you just gave in to your bad habits. But now God says, “Depart from me!” What bad habits do you have that God would place you in such a devastating position? Wouldn't you give up all your bad habits - and sins - to avoid hearing those words from God?
If you want to break bad habits, you have to replace them with good or better habits. People who live under the weight of bad habits, and sin, create an overwhelming burden for themselves.
They are saying to themselves, “God won’t accept me! I’m unworthy.” People first need to change, but only if they first want to change.
Jesus doesn’t want to tell you, “Depart from Me!” (please read Matthew 25). You can avoid those words. Don’t you want to change, before it’s too late? Now, what’s your greatest fear?