"I am going to wait until just before I die and make things right with the Lord." I heard that quite a bit when I was younger, much younger. I think it is probably because many younger people think that it won't happen to them for many years. None of us are guaranteed another breath.
December 17, 1992 (I think that is the correct day) was a Thursday. I was on my way home from work. I had plans for the evening. I would drive to my friend's house and pick her up and go to prayer meeting. It was a weekly ritual and I rarely gave it any thought. As I neared home, I had to pass an intersection that was know for it's accidents. As I neared that intersection I noticed a car start to pull out, but it stopped. In spite of the fact that they had a stop sign and I did not, the car started out into the intersection in my path. I had time to utter only one syllable before the impact. You would think that there would be more time. You would think that a person would have time for even a short prayer of pleading for help or repentance or something.
But that is not how it works. My one syllable word was shouted from my lips and lasted as long as it took to feel the impact. I shouted, "NO!" as if by yelling loud enough I could stop him from pulling into my path.
When I opened my eyes, I was facing 45 degrees to my left. The hood was partially blocking my view and my chest felt like it was going to fall out of my skin. It felt like the seat had moved and I was fortunate to be alive.
The man who pulled out in front of me after stopping at his stop sign was uninjured. The passenger in the car he was driving acted as his cushion. He was not wearing his seat belt. He also did not have his driver's license nor did he have insurance on the borrowed car. The passenger was injured but not badly. Things could have been much worse. I was going about 55 miles per hour when I hit the car. Either one or all of us could have been killed or permanently disabled.
It happened in mere seconds. We could all have been facing God with no time to repent. Fortunately for me, if it had been my time, it would have been a good time to die. My salvation experience and my relationship with The Messiah, Jesus Christ Almighty had already been solidified.
I was in intensive care for a couple of days and within the week I was home and able to go on with my life. It was a frightening experience, but it taught me that we have the time that is now. We have no guarantee that HE will call for us again. If we hear HIS voice, we need to heed it NOW. There may be no second chance. Now is the time for Salvation. Even the next moment may be too late.
Shalom. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
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