Two men were sinking the shaft of a deep well. They had come to a large rock which needed to be blasted out. A hole was bored in the rock, the blasting powder put in place, the fuse attached—everything was ready to blow up the rock. All that remained was to cut the fuse off to the proper length and send up to the surface the remainder of the coil, with the powder case and tools in the bucket. This was usually done by the man who ascended getting into the bucket and being drawn up with the tools.
One man, John, was always obliged to remain to fire the fuse after the bucket had been lowered again for him, as it could only take one man at a time. John took hold of the hatchet to cut the fuse and hand it to the other man, Tom. He laid the fuse on the rock and struck the blow to cut the fuse from the coil.
What horror! The stroke of the steel hatchet on the rock produced a spark—and ignited the fuse! Both men faced instant death.
Both scrambled into the bucket and signaled to be hoisted up. It would not do. The hoist could not lift with both men.
John reacted quickly. He leaped out, crying, “Tom, you’re not ready to meet God, but I’m ready!”
Up to the top went the bucket with Tom inside carried to safety. In a few seconds the blast went off and smoke and dust poured from the hole. There was not even a groan heard from the hole.
As soon as all was clear again Tom went down expecting to find the mangled body of his friend. Instead, there was John—absolutely unhurt. The God in whom he trusted, the God he was ready to meet, had caused the rock to split with a large portion standing upright and forming a shield that sheltered him, leaving him unscathed, while the force of the blast was discharged against the opposite side.
When John came up, he was asked how he could ever do what he did. He told them that he knew the Son of God had come down from heaven and died for him in love, washing away his sins in His own blood. He knew that when he was blown to pieces (as he thought he would be), he would go to heaven to be with Him forever. He knew that Tom. if killed, would have been lost in hell forever.
If you were placed in a moment of pressure like this, how would it be with you? Are you ready? You need not be working in a hazardous position to come suddenly face to face with death. Would you step into eternity in the calm consciousness of the Saviour’s love? “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:1212Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (Amos 4:12)).