It was a peaceful looking canyon that spread out below me. As I stood there taking in the view, I mentally planned what my next few days would hold. Deep in Dakota country, my friend Doug and I had been assigned to check on a band of wild bighorn sheep. We had to set up camp first so we would have shelter and then prepare to spend a few days here.
This was a job I loved. Nothing thrilled me more than being out in God’s creation and enjoying the beautiful world that He had made for us to live in. I was ready to get to work.
On the evening of our third day, a fierce storm whipped through our little camp. As the sky turned dark, strong gusts of wind made us quickly find shelter in our tents. From my tent, I could look across and see the top of Doug’s tent being blown first one way and then the other. At times, the tent was blown so far over that I could see the shape of Doug’s head in the canvas! Then rain began to beat down on us.
This is probably the worst storm I’ve seen for a while, I thought. I certainly have a powerful Creator. I wonder what Doug thinks of this. I had told my friend about how God had sent His Son Jesus down here as a man to die for our sins, but Doug was never interested in the subject.
Over the sound of heavy rain beating on the tent, I became aware of a new sound.
It was the sound of rocks breaking away and falling from the canyon walls directly above us! Doug heard it too. Both of us ran out of our tents and into a wind shelter that we had set up. We both knew a rockslide could bury alive! I looked over at my friend who was known for his fearlessness.
Nervously, Doug asked, “You know what that is, don’t you?” Then he looked at me curiously. “You’re not scared, are you?”
“If this rockslide takes my life, I know where I’m going,” I told him. I truly thought I had only a few more minutes to live. But I believed that because Jesus Christ had died to save me from my sins and based on the promise of God, if I didn’t live I would be in heaven.
“I will go to heaven, Doug. If you ask Jesus to take away your sins, you’ll be there with me.” I knew time was short, but I also knew that it only took a moment to call on the Lord Jesus for salvation from our sins.
Doug just looked at me and went back to his own tent.
The rumblings increased as more and more rocks gave way and began to crash down the mountain. On the ledge where we were camped, there was no safe place to go, so I sat and prayed for Doug. I expected both of us would soon enter eternity! I knew my eternity would be in heaven with Jesus, but I feared Doug’s would be a lost eternity.
The sound of falling rocks grew louder as the rocks came closer. Heavy rain pounded down on the canyon. And then, suddenly, it was quiet. The rain had stopped, and the rocks had completely bypassed the ledge where we were camped!
I have no doubt that God Himself protected us with His hand in that storm. But there was something even more exciting than being given more time to live. After the storm, Doug turned to Jesus for the salvation He lovingly offers.
Think about it: The Maker of this beautiful world loves you and offers you salvation from your sins. Are you going to accept His offer today or will you wait until you are face to face with death? Don’t wait - you may not have the chance. Often there is no advance warning.
ML-05/13/2001