By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Yesterday’s cover story of Die Burger touched me deeply. A group of young boys from High School Driekhoek in Vanderbijlpark gathered together, praying, as they said goodbye to a friend, the 16-year-old Marnus Nagel. He was the fourth learner to die after a concrete block broke out of a steel structure last week and dropped onto the learners.

Marnus was loaded into an ambulance after the tragedy, before being airlifted to a nearby hospital. His condition was critical, but his loved ones kept hoping for a miracle. On Sunday morning, however, they had to say goodbye to him with broken hearts.

What touched me about the story was Marnus’slast conversation with his mother, Daleen. Before being transported to the hospital by helicopter, they spent a few moments together in the ambulance. He turned to his mom, saying, "Mom, when I was lying under the cement block, I called the teacher and asked her to pray for me. I then said to her that if I die, she must tell you that I love you guys very much." After that, he never woke up again.

None of the parents, who lost their children in the tragedy, could ever have predicted when they dropped off their children that morning at school,that the day would turn out like that. Life is unpredictable - also for you and me. 

In Ecclesiastes 9:12 we read: "For surely no man knows his time . . ." Only God knows. What we can do, is to make sure that we live such a life that if it is our last day on earth, we will be able to meet our Maker with confidence. How do we do it? In Romans 12:18, we read: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” And in Ephesians 4: 26-27 it is written: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Do you have a relationship with God? Is there a relationship in your life that you need to fix? Is there someone you need to forgive? When last have you told your loved ones that you love them? Today is a gift. Let’s make sure we choose to live an abundant life. God bless.

Father God, thank you for keeping my life in Your hands. Please show me if there is anything in my life that does not please you and give me the boldness to change it. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• See picture of Die Burger’s cover story at www.benescke.co.za

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