In the city of Valladolid, the ancient capital of Spain, there stands a monument erected to commemorate the discoveries made by Christopher Columbus. The most noticeable feature of this monument is a lion with his paw raised as if to erase part of the words which had formed Spain's national motto for centuries past.

For many hundreds of years the sailors who had ploughed the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea as far westward as the narrow strait through which they sailed into the great Atlantic Ocean believed that they had reached the boundaries of the earth. Europe, Asia and Africa lay behind them and nothing before them (as far as they knew), but the limitless expanse of the ocean. To them, the coast of Spain was "land's end." In the course of time, Spain came to adopt as her national motto, the three Latin words, "Ne plus ultra," which means, "Nothing beyond."

After voyages by Columbus and others, it was learned that a vast continent and many islands lay far away beyond the horizon. The motto "Nothing beyond" was seen to be untrue—there was something beyond. In the monument at Valladolid the sculptor has represented the lion of Castile as tearing from the scroll the word "Ne," and leaving the motto as it stands today, "Plus ultra,"—More beyond."

There are many today who think of "nothing beyond" the world in which they live. The range of their hopes and prospects is bounded by the horizon of their earthly life. They have no thought of anything that lies beyond what they see from day to day. Eternity, with all its tremendous realities is to them an unknown country.

How is it with you, dear reader? Are you living only for this world? The Bible says you will have to leave it someday. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14).

Everything in this life passes away too, for we read, "The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (1 John 2:17).

If you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus as your own precious Saviour then you are SAVED for all eternity. Think of it! You can look forward to spending eternity with the Lord Jesus in that happy home above.