Rising up in the early morning, I habitually open the Bible and read what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16:26: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Carefully pondering the Lord’s words, I feel they are too precious. Though we all know the preciousness of life, in this society where money talks, who is able to achieve the point of not exchanging money with life? And who can listen to the Lord’s words? There are too many people who make money regardless of their lives. If I hadn’t personally experienced a dangerous environment, I would also probably not know the preciousness of life. At this time, I had a recollection of the breath-taking past event.
In 2006, I was 19 and was in the bloom of youth. It was a good time to prepare for the future of my life. I loved art, not simply because it was my hobby but even because I dreamed to win overnight fame one day so that I wouldn’t be worried about anything for my future life. So I applied for Aesthetic Colleges. That year, enrolment at Aesthetic Colleges was at a record high, and the competition was particularly fierce. In order to increase the probability of being accepted, everyone even tried to apply for several art colleges to take exams. During that period, in several big cities candidates with the portfolios on their shoulders and toolboxes in their hands could be seen everywhere. I was the same as them. I just finished the exam in City A and would go to City B to sign up on the next day.
However, when I woke up on the next morning, I found it was wholly shrouded by the heavy fog outside, and that in some serious places the visibility wasn’t up to 50 meters. I thought: Today, it must be impossible to go. The fog is so heavy; buses probably can’t run and, in particular, the expressway must have been closed. Surprisingly, after enquiring, I was told that buses ran as usual. I felt surprised as well as worried: In normal circumstances buses would stop running on days of heavy fog. Can it be that there are too many candidates that they run for the sake of them? I couldn’t think much about it and got on the bus to City B with my two classmates. Little did I know that a disaster was coming step by step.
Along the way, my two classmates fell into sleep because of bus sickness, while I had no mind to rest because I felt an unexplainable uneasiness in my heart. On the expressway, the driving speed was very high and the vehicle ahead was so near to us but couldn’t be seen clearly. I was very nervous within, worrying that something might happen. Then, I couldn’t sit quietly anymore, so I stood bending forward and held the front seat with my hands to help the driver watch the traffic condition. And I couldn’t help praying silently to the Lord and asking Him to keep us safe in my heart.
Suddenly, the driver quickly turned the wheel and the strong inertial force almost turned over the bus and threw me out of the seat. My head reeled. … After the bus had stopped, there was a dead silence in it; probably everyone was frightened by this unexpected situation. I had thought it was just an accident and that we would go on soon. Little did I think that the driver had no intention to continue driving. At that time, a passenger who had something urgent to do asked: “Hey, sir, when will we move on?” Surprisingly, the driver roared: “Why don’t you see whether we can go on?” Until then did I notice that the driver’s hand holding a cigarette was shaking and that fear appeared on his face.
After we carefully got out of the bus, we came to realize how serious that traffic accident was. As I looked into the distance, the whole section of the expressway was in a mess: Big or small vehicles were lying at sixes and sevens and some were even piled together. What a scene of devastation! Someone shouted loudly: “Don’t smoke!” It turned out that gasoline and shards of glass were scattered over the section of the road. Some drivers were pressing their bleeding heads with handkerchiefs, waiting for rescue. Some people who had their legs injured were crawling on the ground. And worse still, at the left in front of our bus, a car had been completely mangled on impact, looking like an old heap of iron. There were four people in the car; one of them was a student about my age, who was entirely pinned in the car. I personally saw that she gradually lost her life. … One of my classmates cried with fright when seeing such a scene; at that time I was quite calm and reminded them: “Say nothing to your family yet, lest they worry about you.” Then I saw the bus we took was less than a fist from the side of the front truck. Hadn’t the driver quickly turned the wheel, the consequence must have been unimaginable—at least it would be impossible that we were unharmed completely. Seeing the scene, I felt particularly moved. I knew it was the Lord’s rescue and protection, so I thanked Him silently in my heart. The Bible says, “A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you” (Psalms 91:7). I was grateful to the Lord for letting us avoid the disaster.
Because the expressway was closed, we had to leave the expressway and go through the village to take a bus at the suburbs. When I was waiting for buses, my two classmates went to buy water to drink. At the time, a bus was coming but they still didn’t come back. I shouted to them anxiously and asked them to hurry up, but eventually we missed the bus. I had some complaints against them in my heart. Just then, the next bus came and we immediately got on. After a length of time, when the bus was about to reach a crossroad, I saw from a long distance that a bus still stayed there even though the traffic light was green. After we approached it, I saw there was nobody in it and that its head had been seriously damaged; when I saw the license plate number, I realized it was the bus I had missed. Suddenly, I felt a little horrible and yet so fortunate. I felt the Lord’s wonderful orchestration again. If my classmates hadn’t been delayed and if I had got on the bus … I couldn’t dare to think more and just kept giving thanks to the Lord.
Despite being in alarm, I couldn’t help sighing: I was so lucky to avoid two traffic accidents in a day. Had it not been for God’s care and protection, I couldn’t have been so lucky to avoid them.
Experiencing this accident, I had a deeper understanding of believing in God. In the past, I always heard the brothers and sisters in the Lord said that the food and drink and other things we enjoyed were the Lord’s blessings. Until that time, I came to know that everything God does is very valuable and meaningful to us and that the most important thing God does on us is that God has ensured our safety.
Recalling this past event, I couldn’t help but sigh: “O Almighty God, thank You. It is Your care and protection that makes us live in peace and safety. You are always by our side and never depart from us, and regard our lives as so precious. I will even more cherish my life, believe in and worship You properly, and pursue to gain the truth.” It was the Lord’s great love that timely saved me. That thrilling experience has had a great effect on me, changed my life direction, and allowed me truly feel the preciousness of life.
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