It was a tragedy—a bitter, unnecessary tragedy. Roy Madsen had twenty-seven years of mining experience; he knew all the dangers; he had all the necessary safety equipment, but he was brought out of a gas-filled gold mine—dead.
What could have happened?
He was wearing the required safety belt. The safety lines were all in place. But—he hadn't bothered to attach the lines to his belt. When he ventured into a new section of the mine and encountered poisonous gas he was overcome. Not being attached to the safety lines, he could not be pulled at once to fresh air and fell to his death in the depths of the mine.
The mine owner said later: "He had the proper belt, and the safety lines were there, but for some reason he didn't attach them to himself... he evidently felt secure in what he was doing; it wasn't attached, and they couldn't pull him out."
Do you recognize any parallel between the story of this miner and your own life? Are you busily mining "gold" in the polluted and sin-poisoned air of this old world? Have you made sure that the safety line is attached?
There is one, you know. God has provided a way of escape for all who will take it. We have only to "attach it to ourselves," to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our own and only Savior, believing in Him and His work for us, and we will be able to say as David did in the Psalms: "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Psa. 40:2, 32He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2‑3).
But what if you, like the gold miner, fail to attach the safety line? What if you do not receive the salvation God is offering to you?
Then, when that last day comes for you, you will sink down into the pit of darkness and despair because you never bothered to be sure of the safety of your never-dying soul.
What a tragedy that would be! What a heart-breaking, unnecessary tragedy!
Attach the safety line today. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior now before it is too late.