Donald Wyman had been clearing land and felling trees when a tree fell in such a way that he was pinned underneath it. His leg was broken—it was a compound fracture-and he cried for help. Again and again he called. No one came; no one heard. After an hour, he gave up hope of rescue by others and began to do what few of us would do: He pulled out his pocket knife and cut off his leg above the fracture. Then he crawled to a bulldozer, pulled himself up into it, and drove to his truck. Managing to transfer to the truck, he drove to a farm house. The farmer drove him to a hospital.
“It was a terrible ordeal...being trapped in the woods,” he said afterward. I had a life-or-death situation, and that was my only option-life or death. I have so much to live for that I did the only thing I could—I chose life.”
And that is the same option that every one of us has. God said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life” (Deut. 30:1919I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)). It is not a “terrible ordeal” for us: We do not have to suffer great pain, alone and unheard in the dark woods of this world. The Lord Jesus Christ has suffered the pain for us, dying alone on the cross of Calvary.
Like Don Wyman, we all have “so much to live for.” There is the God who created us, who promises to be a Father to us, the One who satisfies the longing soul. There is the Lord Jesus who loves us with an everlasting love and who went to Calvary for us. There is the Holy Spirit who comes as the Comforter to everyone who receives Christ as Savior.
All of that is in the here-and-now. So much to live for indeed! And afterward—the Father’s house home—heaven. Why will you die?
Therefore, choose life!