By Andrew Palau,
Luis Palau Ministries
No matter how many stories you hear, you never dream you will be the one in a plane crash. For me and my family, the worst came true last Christmas (2009). We barely escaped with our lives.
You may remember hearing about American Airlines Flight 331 that crash-landed in Jamaica. The plane skidded across the runway, broke into three sections, and stopped just a few feet from the Caribbean Sea. It was a terrifying disaster.
Me, my wife Wendy, and our three kids were all on board. (We were headed for a Christmas visit to Wendy’s family who reside in Kingston, Jamaica.) We managed to escape by climbing onto the wing in the dark and blinding rainstorm. From the wing we jumped down to the sand and, smelling jet fuel, we ran as fast as we could. We were finally picked up by a passing bus and taken to safety.
I came away with two black eyes, some cuts and some bruises. It was the scare of a lifetime. But we’re alive. And for that we are truly grateful.
Reflecting on this incident is just one more reminder that life is short. For us who believe in the Lord Jesus, we can take great comfort in God’s sovereign overruling of our lifespan as spelled out in Psalm 139, especially verse 16. As for those who don’t believe… well, I think of the 154 total people who were on that flight. I don’t know where each of them stood with the Lord, but I do know that all 154 had a near-death experience. Each came face-to-face with the reality that we will all die, and we just do not know when.
You never know when your time will come.
Did you know that every day 155,000 people die? 155,000 people! Whether in a plane crash, car accident, or quietly from illness, 155,000 people die each and every day.
That is staggering to me. And that’s why Dad and I do what we do as evangelists! It’s why our team exists. Because life is fragile. Because the end comes so soon. And because we want each and every person to hear about Jesus Christ before it’s too late.
I want to make every day count. I pray that you do, too. There are too many people who still need to hear about Jesus Christ! Together, we can take advantage of every day we are alive. We can share the Good News with people all over the world.
Please don’t miss your opportunity to seize each and every day to do something powerful for the lost and for God’s glory. We must be bold in our declaration of God’s Good News. We must make the most of our fragile, shortlives! The time is now. Let’s make evangelism a priority. Let’s unify in prayer, in support, and in encouragement for one another.
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