Saved in London train bombings

Ok, so I know the London bombings were a while back, but I still have such an awesome testimony of how good God is, to share. I have shared it with virtually everyone I know so why not you too :).

I am from South Africa, I visited London for a year (I think it was 2006).

I would always catch the tube to work. The one morning, I am walking towards the station and notice a Christian girl I met in cell meetings (Lilly). We have fellowship as we walking towards the station. Station was closed (Woodgreen), so we have to walk further towards the next. As we board the train, I propose to Lilly that we board closer to the front as there are less people, she replies with a firm, 'nay', and insists we board at the closest door.

I get off at my station (Kings Cross). A few minutes later I notice the lights dimming and people getting frantic. I hear security say nobody is to board the trains, so I rush to board the last train leaving for Moorgate. A security guard inside the train sticks his arm out and stops me from boarding. I end up taking a bus to Moorgate and arriving around 2 hours late for work.

I then learn that after I got off at Kings Cross the train Lilly was on had exploded. The train I tried to get on exploded and one of the buses driving towards Moorgate had exploded.

I get a call from Lilly around 2 hours later. She is so eager to explain her ordeal. Turns out the carriage I wanted her to get on had exploded, God placed her between two large people and she was the only one on her carriage without even a scratch. She also said how she felt like she was in hell, listening to all the people in pain.

My heart goes out to all who suffered and I thank God for protecting Lilly and I.
 
All I can say it WOW! Praise God, he good to us all the time. When we put out trust in him each day he promises that he will never leave us nor forsake us...

He is just AWESOME!! :)))

....

and thanks for sharing this!!!!
 
For me the experience re-enforces the fact that we are on earth to serve Him and not ourselves, if He wants us gone He will take us.
 
I'm really happy you got out unhurt. Those moments sure make us think about the meaning of our lives.

I recently went to Brazil and I was caught in a current while swimming. I've been struggling for my life for 20 minutes - it was a nearly deserted beach - and I eventually made it out alive. I remember I went through a chatter with God the whole time and I was really thankfull when I reached the shore.

However, and getting back to your testimony, one thing leaves me utterly uncomfortable; what would the families of those who perished in that bombing think and feel about this testimony?
 
However, and getting back to your testimony, one thing leaves me utterly uncomfortable; what would the families of those who perished in that bombing think and feel about this testimony?

Glad to hear of your testimony! God is good!

Would you mind better explaining your statement above. Are your referring to Christian or non-Christian families? Atheist or other theists? or all of the above.

Also, since you are demanding an explanation from me by saying 'utterly uncomfortable' which I will gladly prepare :), would you likewise give me an explanation on why you feel they would be uncomfortable and their justification for that feeling.

I must also ask you to consider the families losing loved ones to drowning and sharks, seeing your testimony.
 
The truth is I don't have much of an answer to these issues, hence my question regarding your personal experience and knowledge of the scriptures.


Are your referring to Christian or non-Christian families? Atheist or other theists? or all of the above.

I believe the answer should not discriminate creed (or the lack of it). The reasons remain the same, whether you believe in God or not.


Turns out the carriage I wanted her to get on had exploded, God placed her between two large people and she was the only one on her carriage without even a scratch.

Did these two guys make it out ok?


would you likewise give me an explanation on why you feel they would be uncomfortable and their justification for that feeling.

I just imagined if I lad lost a loved one to that bombing and I read these comments on how God has a plan for you. If it was my mother, my brother, didn't God have a plan for them? I had this argument some years ago on a philosofy class and almost none of my colleagues believed in the existence of God. However I defended my point of view against even those who actually believed in God. The point being made based on the book we were reading was that whether God can't save everyone (and it's not omnipotent) or He can but he doesn't want to (and He's not good). In both cases, God wasn't God because whether He wasn't good or He wasn't capable. Therefore there wasn't a God.

I quoted the Bible "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." So, according to the Bible, God knows, and God cares. (But there's one issue here for me - in some cases "Father's care is translated as Father's will. This makes all the difference. I chose to stick to the "care", assuming that God gives Man free will and all the consequences that come with it).

This point made, I asked them if they had a child and while he was playing he'd hurt himself in the knee. Who'd it be a great issue? They all said it wouldn't. Then I said that to God there is no death and what seems to us the end of everything, to God it was just scratch in the knee of one of His sons. He would allow it - not control it - because that person would still be living under His wings, only in a different dimension.

They all accepted my view regarding this issue, but the truth is that is flawed. I didn't see it by then, but soon after I realized it.

There are random events that lead to death. If an earthquake kills half a million people I believe that was the result of the movement of the tectonic plates and not an act of God. God cares for these people but He doesn't save them. Amongst the half million dead, one child makes it against all odds and many call it a miracle. So God interferes, but only in some cases. Why? We actually don't know His reasons.

Now imagine that there were 10 thousand other children that weren't spared, all before they could even talk. Will they be granted salvation? And the people in - say - their thirties who never accepted Jesus but who knows, they might have done it in the future, are they going to be saved?

If my brother was on that train when it exploded and I knew he could have been saved if only I had talked to him about Jesus because he's that kind of guy that would accept, but I hadn't. It was all my fault. Would he be saved?

I know there's a lot of questions condensed here, but be patient and bear with me : )

P.S. - You don't have to have all the answers. I'm still waiting for some enlightment. Knowing how God acts only leads to knowing Him more. Knowing Him more, leads to loving Him more.

Thanks
 
The truth is I don't have much of an answer to these issues, hence my question regarding your personal experience and knowledge of the scriptures.

:) It is good to see you are not a troll.

I believe the answer should not discriminate creed (or the lack of it). The reasons remain the same, whether you believe in God or not.

It is not discrimination but rather identifying the audience. Example. Many believe we are not to judge anyone because Jesus loves everyone, right? WRONG. We are not to judge the unsaved because Paul says 'there go I but by the grace of God', but Paul also says to the SAVED, that they can get kicked out of the church for not accepting correction which comes from 'loving' judgement.

Regarding those that would read my OP grudgingly. I want you to think on 3 things. 1) Scripture that says Jesus is our shepherd. 2) The story of shadrach, meshack and abednego. 3) Free will.

From 1 we gather that Jesus looks after who? He looks after His flock. Does He look after the wolves? No, He doesn’t. If Jesus allows one of His sheep to die, will that sheep die alone or in the presence of the Shepherd? When Christians suffer or die, we are WITH our Shepherd, Jesus. He protects us and can likewise see us passing on. We had NO control over our creation and likewise have NO control over our death. Salvation is from eternal damnation not death of the flesh as you correctly pointed out! EVERY Christian should be able to say with confidence that Jesus was with them in their suffering. It is great if we completely escape suffering as I did, but whether I had been burnt or escaped I do not doubt Jesus would have been with me and it would be in His plan for my life. As Christians we are here to serve God, we live for Him not ourselves. If He wants us to be paraplegic here that is His prerogative. It makes more sense that He can use us more if we can walk and are healthy, but ultimately God has a plan for our lives and we need to submit to it. We need to remember that Paul said to die is gain!

2) The story of these guys is a clear example of how Jesus is with us in our suffering. An onlooker would say God has forsaken them. But the truth is, they had Jesus with them in the furnace. What we see is not always what is.

3) I mention free will because it is very important to understand God's limitations in being with those that reject Him. It is not to say that He is not with everyone. It should be obvious that everyone breathing today is doing so by His mercy. Understand that if you go through suffering or physical death, you can go with or without a shepherd. A shepherd can heal your wounds, prevent you getting hurt or hold your hand tight as you pass on. No shepherd? you have only a glimmer of hope that God sees you worthy of still living because you have not yet truly rejected Jesus. Just like God's hands are in a sense tied from preventing the fallen angels and all those rejecting Jesus from going to hell (to intervene would be to take away free will), likewise even now, God's hands are rather tied from helping those that are living and have rejected Jesus.

Now imagine that there were 10 thousand other children that weren't spared, all before they could even talk. Will they be granted salvation? And the people in - say - their thirties who never accepted Jesus but who knows, they might have done it in the future, are they going to be saved?

The bible says that children go straight to heaven. As for those that pass the age of understanding, no, they need to make a choice to accept or reject Jesus.

Rest assured, EVERYONE that will accept Jesus WILL be in heaven! There WILL BE NO excuses on judgement day. Someone going to hell WILL NOT be able to say, if only. Put yourself in the shoes of the One who gave you your brain. We always tend to make assumptions about God. Can we make a dumber assumption to assume God is dumb? He is Just. He is Fair. He is NO respecter of persons. He knows how many hairs are on our heads. He knows our thoughts before we think them.

If my brother was on that train when it exploded and I knew he could have been saved if only I had talked to him about Jesus because he's that kind of guy that would accept, but I hadn't. It was all my fault. Would he be saved?

YOU and I ARE NOT responsible for anyone going to hell! the worst we can be to blame for is not being good servants with what we were entrusted. The Holy Spirit is the teacher who has come to reveal Jesus to ALL mankind. Prior to Jesus's resurrection, God Himself interacted with man. Look at how He sent Jonah to Nineveh, a non-Jewish city.

Do yourself a favour, go read the story of Jonah. See how God forced Jonah to preach to Nineveh, how the thought of His wrath hitting man and animals saddened Him.

There are random events that lead to death.

I don’t believe anything is random! I believe God has put things 'in motion' and it is our choice to endure them with or without Him. God knows your date of birth and the date you will be with Him!
 
The bible says that children go straight to heaven. As for those that pass the age of understanding, no, they need to make a choice to accept or reject Jesus.

Does God have to wait until one reaches "the age of understanding" in order for Him to perceive if one is salvable or not?
 
Does He "choose" to wait because there might happen something He didn't predict? If not, why do you say He's being fair and just in waiting?

Are you looking to get a better understanding of true free will? Perhaps start a new thread on that.

Understand The Holy Spirit draws all men unto Jesus. If men resist they are accountable for that resistance. A child cannot resist as they are humble and innocent, even though they be naughty and dis-obedient.

Just take a look at the justice system on the treatment of minors. We will go far in understanding God if we just use common sense.
 
Are you looking to get a better understanding of true free will? Perhaps start a new thread on that.

No. I'm just trying to understand what is that you believe in order to find out if I can relate to it and evetually learn something from it. I process information in small bits, that's why I'm making such short questions.


Understand The Holy Spirit draws all men unto Jesus. If men resist they are accountable for that resistance. A child cannot resist as they are humble and innocent, even though they be naughty and dis-obedient.

Just take a look at the justice system on the treatment of minors. We will go far in understanding God if we just use common sense.

I agree with you, but still you haven't answered my question.
 
Then re-word your question please, I don't understand properly what you are asking

"Does He "choose" to wait because there might happen something He didn't predict?" This is what I've asked and altough my english is far from perfect, I chose to believe it was clear. My fault then and I'll try to express myself better.

Does God know what we'll do in the future? Does He have to wait a determinate ammount of time to reach a conclusion, or does He know it from day one?
 
Does God know what we'll do in the future? Does He have to wait a determinate ammount of time to reach a conclusion, or does He know it from day one?

Bruno, thanks, it is now better explained, but as I said above it is a discussion now on free will. Does God control us by Him knowing everything or do we control ourselves?

Post a new thread plz in the general section on this site. It is a very important subject you are raising. It will be best for you to get other members views and explanations on it. I will give my comment there as well.
 
Ok, I will.

But let me just say that I was going somewhere with this and it was pertinent to what we were talking about.

But it's ok though.
 
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