To hear of someone winning a fight with a shark would be exciting, but I once tangled with a tarp and nearly lost the battle.
We lived in western Colorado near the great fishing and camping areas of the Rocky Mountains. As you might guess, my father had equipment for these activities, which he eagerly unpacked each spring to air out. One sunny morning, Dad had spread a large, heavy, canvas tarpaulin out in the yard. I was only ten years old and full of fun. Using the tarp as a “stage” on which to perform, I played and danced around until I dropped. Then I stretched out on it to rest.
As I gazed lazily up at the blue sky, a sudden gust of wind flipped a corner of the tarp over me. Crazily, I started rolling and unrolling myself in the heavy old canvas. Had I been told I had to do this, I likely would have complained, “Roll up in that musty old thing? No way! I might suffocate!”
Young people sometimes behave this way. If someone dares them to do something, the bait is almost sure to be swallowed. But if someone casually suggests it, they might take the first step of a sinful or dangerous habit, perhaps not even thinking of what it could lead to. And that’s what I did; I just kept adding one more rollover each time, always hurrying to unroll in time to breathe. Then, you guessed it...I suddenly reached the “point of no return.” The old tarp held me tightly...I couldn’t unroll!
My frantic struggles only used what little air there was more quickly. My air was running out; I tried to call for help. Within moments, I drifted into the long, dark tunnel of unconsciousness.
I was just another victim of doing something foolish. How often has a young person, daring to try some dangerous habit, been trapped while thinking that they were in control and could just stop when the fun was over. But no ... the habit holds them tightly, and many go down to death.
And what then?
But there was someone who loved me and cared enough to check on me. Mother, no doubt led of God, had heard my last muffled cry. Instantly, she unrolled me from the tarp and quickly breathed the breath of life back into my limp body. Mother’s loving care of me saved my life!
You may or may not be involved in a dangerous habit that looks tempting and exciting, but don’t be tricked; “the soul that [sins], it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:44Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)). There is nothing funny or brave about sinning. It is your sure ticket to death and hell. That is the bad news. The good news is, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). My mother loved me enough to check up on me in my foolishness, and our loving Saviour, who knows everything about you and yet loves you anyway, offers the only remedy for sin. He bore the punishment for those sins “in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)). He can finish your story of sin with a happy ending: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
Will you talk to Him in prayer and confess to Him you are a sinner and that you want to accept His gift of sins forgiven and eternal life?
ML-08/31/2014