“Death was right in front of my face”

In Formula 1, the air is tense with excitement, fuelled by the nostalgic screeching of high revving engines and the smell of engine oil and fuel all around.  Nimbly, drivers negotiate the corners, whipping up speed to get vital heat into the tyres with the aim of getting pole position or to be the outstanding winner of a race with the prized position on the podium.

Although full of exhilarating action, Formula 1 is an expensive and dangerous sport and, over the years, there have been many accidents and fatalities.

On Sunday 29^th November 2020 in Bahrain, there was a near further fatality when the car of French racing driver, Romain Grosjean, spectacularly broke in two and burst into flames as he crashed doing an astonishing speed of over 137mph.

From the initial impact he was in his vehicle for 28 seconds before he was able to get out of the car to safety. He was potentially 28 seconds from certain death, as he acknowledged in a recent interview where he was quoted saying “Death was right in front of my face” as he looked on the fire and burning fuel around him.

As Romain remained in his car during those early seconds, he became stuck after frantically unclipping his seat belt. As he considered his surroundings, being very conscious of death, he stated “I was almost at peace”. Thankfully he managed to get out of the burning wreck of his racing car, and he was saved- only suffering relatively minor burns.

As we consider this extraordinary event what would our reaction of been? if we were 28 seconds from death?  Romain Grosjean could only say “almost at peace” but TODAY you can have the full assurance of peace of your sins forgiven and a place in heaven by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible states if we put our faith in Him, we can be “justified by faith” and we can then “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5 v 1).

As we consider our lives we need to acknowledge we have all fallen short of God’s standard and the Bible declares “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3 v 23) and the Bible goes on to declare “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;” (1 Timothy 1 v 15).

The Lord Jesus lived a perfect life down here on earth and on one day he spoke to his disciples declaring “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14 v 6).

The Lord Jesus Christ went to the place called Calvary and “died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15 v 3 and 4).

How can we have that inner peace and be right with God? how can we be saved from our sins?  The prison guard in the book of Acts asked this question – “What must I do to be saved?” the answer given to him and us today is “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16 v 30 and 31)

The book of Amos declares “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4 v 12) – Will you prepare TODAY so when the time comes you will have peace with God and the assurance of a home in heaven.

Paul Cartwright