A VOICE TOO URGENT TO DISMISS

On the evening of November 12, 2018, Jordan Cole and Kenneth Bryant were sitting in their broken-down food truck. It was parked on the side of I-80, in Newton Township, Ohio. Jordan and Ken were waiting for two friends to bring them repair parts for their truck. Jordan was sitting in the cab of the truck, listening to the radio. Ken, however, was in the back, running the generator to charge his cell phone.

Chillin’ to Splittin’

The two men were returning from a pastor’s conference, where they sold meals and refreshments to the attendees. Their not-for-profit business serves to raise money for Potter’s Field Ministries. This ministry provides food and other resources to people in poverty-stricken countries. Jordan and Ken recently completed two mission trips to Uganda and Guatemala. They were back in the States to raise more money for future trips.

At around 8 PM something incredible happened. While listening to the radio, Jordan felt a wave of dread come over him and heard a voice say, “Get out of the truck!” In a split second, he glanced in the side view mirror to see an out-of-control semi hurdling straight for their truck. He jumped from the cab to safety.

At the same moment, Kenneth had the same wave of dread come over him and the same voice says to him, “Get out of the truck!” Ken grabbed his cell phone and exited the rear of the truck. He jumped over the guard rail with only one or two seconds to spare before the semi hit their

small truck and smashed it to pieces.

A Call to Safety

The two men ran to check the driver of the semi. He had survived with only minor injuries. When the State Police arrived they could not believe that Jordan and Kenneth survived the accident. “I’ve seen many accidents on this highway,” the State Trooper told them. “And no one has ever walked away from a wreck like this.”

Ken and Jordan tried to explain to the police, that they heard to the voice of God telling them to run from the truck. It could only be the voice of God, they said. The sound of the radio in the cab and noise of the generator in the back made it impossible for them to communicate with each other. “God kept us safe,” Ken told a reporter with the WJW Tribune news in Cleveland. “God kept us alive to serve Him another day.”

This miraculous intervention that saved the lives of these two Christian men is a reminder of God’s faithful protection. If God had not warned them, they’d surely both be dead.

Yet I can’t help but wonder, “What if they were slow to respond to God’s voice? With so little time to respond, would the slightest delay in responding have cost them their lives?”

Think of the times God speaks to the hearts of sinners when the gospel is preached. It’s probably the first time they have ever sensed the voice of God. A feeling of dread and urgency comes over them. Their hearts begin to palpitate. They are convicted in their souls of the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection—and of their need to open their hearts to Him. It is the voice of the Almighty speaking to them.

Some respond readily. But many hold back and delay following Christ. But isn’t the need to flee to the safety of Jesus’ arms just as urgent as the need to escape that doomed truck? Actually, it’s far more urgent to turn to Jesus. For the consequences of rejecting Christ’s call are eternal—for eternal life and eternal damnation are at stake.

Open Heart

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart,” we are warned in Scripture (Hebrews 3:15). “For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.  So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?” (Hebrews 2:2–3).

Please, for God’s sake and your own—open your heart to Jesus who is calling you. He bore your sins upon the cross. He suffered God’s judgments that should have fallen on you. And now He calls you to escape damnation and to find forgiveness, cleansing from sin, and eternal life in His arms. Flee to Him without delay.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for bearing my sins and for dying in my place upon the cross to purchase my redemption. I confess my sins and open my heart to You, O Lord. Come into my heart and life. Save me, Lord Jesus, and help me to henceforth live for You. Amen.