"We're Not Going to Make It!"

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
On January 13 an Air Florida Boeing 737 crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. during takeoff. A blizzard had enveloped the city with heavy snow and intense cold. The plane was not able to gain sufficient altitude to clear even a 30-foot-high bridge over the nearby Potomac River. The tail of the plane struck the bridge, crushing five cars and killing at least six people. The body of the plane then plunged into the ice-covered river, breaking through the ice and drenching the shocked, injured passengers with brutally cold water. Only five people aboard the plane survived the crash while some 70 persons died in the intensely cold waters.
Among the survivors was a professional pilot, Joseph Stiley. Joseph and his secretary were passengers on the plane.
"I had a pretty good indication that things weren't going right when we started down the runway," Joseph said. "I turned to my secretary and said, 'We're not going to make it; we're going in!' "
It seemed at one point that the pilot was trying to stop the takeoff. "We were running out of runway," Joseph said. "We didn't have the speed. It seemed like he jammed it. It then seemed like he had to make the decision to go... so we took off.
"We got up a little bit. It didn't climb like a normal 737... and then I remember the first impact and then a moment or two later, the second impact and I went unconscious."
It is likely that Joseph Stiley's premonition of the impending crash helped him to prepare himself properly. After the crash the shock of the bitterly cold water brought him back to consciousness. Even though his legs were broken, he was able to crawl out of the plane where he was then rescued.
Do you know that this world is headed for judgment? "He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained..." Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31). "The wages of sin is death." Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). God has revealed this knowledge of the future so that you and I may be properly prepared to escape that coming judgment.
Joseph Stiley knew that the airplane would crash and he was able to escape. Do you know that judgment is coming on this world? Are you going to escape from it?
A way of escape has been provided by God Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. He bore the judgment of our sins that we deserve. Now God offers to us the free gift of salvation through Him. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).