Harry and Dean were really excited! Daddy had told them that he would take them camping. They had already been on a short vacation during the summer with the rest of the family, but now they were to go with just Daddy and Grandpa on a real camping trip!
Early Monday morning they packed their backpacks and eagerly climbed into the car with Daddy and Grandpa. Then they drove several hours north where it was mostly woods and lakes. Daddy rented a canoe, and then they drove to a place where they could leave their car and walk a short distance to a big lake. Harry and Dean had small backpacks they had filled with their clothes and sleeping bags, while Daddy and Grandpa had much larger ones filled with food, tents and other equipment needed for camping. It was a beautiful day as they began to paddle the canoe across the lake.
After carrying the canoe a short way overland to another lake, they found a nice camping spot and set up their tents. How they enjoyed swimming, jumping off rocks, cooking over a camp stove and then sleeping in their tent. When they went for a canoe ride, sometimes Daddy and Grandpa would teach the two boys how to paddle. Other times it was fun to just watch the loons swimming in the water.
One afternoon as they were paddling across another lake, they noticed a large rock cliff on one side of the lake. It was a very high rock, rising about 60 or 70 feet above the water. “Let’s paddle over to that rock,” Daddy said. “Maybe there’s a lower rock near it that we can use to jump off into the water.” As they got closer to the shore, suddenly Daddy saw something. “Look, there’s something in a ledge on that rock. Let’s go closer and see what it is.”
As they paddled up closer, they saw a large natural ledge in the rock, about 10 or 15 feet above the water. While Grandpa stayed in the canoe, Daddy and Harry and Dean climbed out onto rocks and went up to see what was on the ledge.
When they got closer they found a wreath, a bouquet of flowers and a picture frame. In the picture frame was a photograph of a boy who looked about 15 years old, and beside the photograph someone had carefully printed these words:
In memory of
Steve Cruise
who fell
to his death
from this rock
on August 22,
1993.
Daddy called out to Grandpa and read him the words. Then everyone was quiet for a few minutes as they thought of what had happened almost exactly 7 years before at that very place. They looked up at the high rock and wondered what had happened. It was then they noticed a number of metal, mountain-climbing spikes that had been driven into the face of the rock. Very likely, poor Steve Cruise had been trying to climb the rock and somehow had fallen onto the rocks below. “What a sad ending to a vacation that must have been,” remarked Grandpa, and everyone agreed.
There are many beautiful things in this world that God has created, and it is nice to be able to enjoy them. However, we are often reminded of the truth of God’s Word which tells us that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)). Every day we are reminded of the truth of this verse as we see evidence of death around us. Eventually, all of us have to face death, for the same Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). As sinners, each of us faces the sentence of death. But there is good news for you - “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)). Any who place their trust in the Lord Jesus can know that their sins are forgiven, because “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
“I wonder if Steve knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour?” questioned Daddy. They did not know the answer, for none of them knew Steve Cruise. But God knows each one of us by name, and He also knows if we have come to the Lord Jesus to have our sins washed away. If we do know Him as our Saviour, then we know that if we are called upon to die, the Lord Jesus takes us home to be with Himself in heaven. He said to the thief beside Him on the cross, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:4343And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)).
We do not know when something unexpected may happen to us. No doubt Steve Cruise was having a good time back in 1993, but a sudden fall took him into eternity. How important it is for us to be ready! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)).
If your life should unexpectedly end today, are you ready to meet God?
ML-02/04/2001