The Last Ride
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
(John 11:25 KJV)
Colt never thought much about heaven. He lived fast, rode hard, and figured he'd slow down when life made him. He loved his Harley more than anything - a custom-painted black-and-chrome beast he named “Mercy.” It was an odd name for a rebel’s ride, but deep down, Colt had always hoped mercy was real.
One fall afternoon, Colt took a ride through the winding mountain roads of East Tennessee. The leaves were gold and fire-red, and the air was crisp. But as he rounded a curve too sharp and too fast, he didn’t see the patch of gravel. His tires slipped. His bike slid. Metal screamed against pavement, and everything went black.
When Colt opened his eyes, he wasn’t on the road anymore. He was standing - whole, unharmed - beside a field that glowed with a light he couldn't explain. And standing across from him was his granddad, the one who used to read him Bible stories and pray over him when he was little. His granddad smiled.
“I told you Jesus would never let go,” he said, pulling him into a hug Colt could feel in his soul.
As they walked together, a mist parted before them, revealing a quiet kitchen table lit by a single lamp. Colt’s parents sat across from each other, coffee mugs between them. His mother’s eyes were red and puffy. His dad’s rough hands were clenched tightly around a framed photo - the one of Colt as a boy, grinning in the front yard with a plastic toy motorcycle.
“He always said he’d slow down someday,” his dad muttered.
His mom tried to smile. “He had a good heart... always did. Just didn’t always know where to put it.”
There was a pause.
“I just wish he’d found his way back to the Lord before…” her voice broke, “…before the end.”
Colt stepped forward, aching to ease their pain. “Mom! Dad! I did come back. I found Him! I’m okay… I’m finally okay.”
He tried to reach for his mother’s shoulder, but his hand passed through like a breeze. His words, his tears - none of it could reach them now.
“I’m okay,” he whispered again, more for himself than for them.
His granddad placed a hand on his back. “They can’t hear you, son. Not yet. But they will. And when their day comes, you’ll be waiting.”
Colt nodded, heart heavy and full all at once.
Then the sky ahead of them opened in brilliant gold, and the field they stood in seemed to roll up into light. Colt looked down. He was still dressed in his black leather riding gear, but somehow it felt clean, like it had been washed in something holy.
Ahead, standing in the light with arms wide open, was a man he somehow knew immediately. It was Jesus.
Not a painting, not a storybook figure, but the living Savior. His eyes were fire and mercy. His smile held both justice and love. And as Colt stood there trembling, Jesus stepped forward with the tenderness of a father and the strength of a king.
“Welcome home, rider,” Jesus said, voice like a warm wind through trees. “Your race is finished, but your journey is just beginning.”
Colt fell to his knees, overwhelmed. Every mistake, every sin, every scar, gone. Just grace. Just peace.
His granddad helped him to his feet, and side by side they walked into the light, where the road never ends and the Son never sets.
Reflection:
Life is fragile. One moment we’re here, the next we’re gone. But for those who know Jesus, death isn’t the end of the road - it’s the beginning of something greater.
John 11:25 reminds us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. That means if we put our trust in Him, we don’t have to fear death. Whether our time comes quietly in a hospital bed or suddenly on a back road, we can have peace knowing there’s life after this - eternal, unshakeable, beautiful life.
Like Colt, we may run, drift, or delay, but Jesus keeps reaching for us. And when we finally take His hand, we find not judgment, but mercy.
Prayer:
"Jesus, thank You for being the Resurrection and the Life. I don’t want to wait until the end to come to You. Help me to ride every mile of this life with my eyes on You. And when my final mile is over, welcome me home. Amen."
Challenge:
Take a moment today to ask yourself: If your story ended tonight, how would it continue in eternity? If you’re not sure, talk to Jesus. He's already waiting with open arms.
Remember:
No matter how wild the ride has been, it’s never too late to finish well—if your final destination is the Savior.
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