IT WAS a sad day for the men aboard the aircraft carrier. The ocean was terribly rough and the giant craft was tossed up and down like a ball by the mighty waves.
But it wasn’t the roughness of the sea that made the men sad they were not afraid of the waves. It was a tragedy that took place right before their eyes that caused them such sorrow of heart.
One of the planes had been trying to land on the carrier, but just as it was about to light on the runway a huge wave tossed the carrier and the plane almost crashed into the sea. However, the pilot suddenly speeded up his engine and took off up into the air again. He circled about for another try, and three helicopters went up from the ship to stand by and help if he crashed.
A second time the pilot came in to land, and again a giant wave moved the carrier. But this time the plane failed to rise in time and with a terrific splash the plane crashed into the ocean and disappeared.
Moments later the pilot’s head appeared above water and all on board gave a mighty cheer. One of the helicopters quickly let down a rope right beside the pilot.
“Hurray!” they cheered again. The next minute the pilot was being drawn up into the helicopter, and the shout went up, “He is saved!”
But just at that moment the parachute on the pilot’s back suddenly opened in the strong wind; the strings wound themselves around him and trapped him. They had to lower him down into the water again where the wind was not so boisterous and another man was lowered to help him cut all the lines of the chute. But the powerful wind was blowing on the chute all the time and both men became wrapped in the strings tighter and tighter. Then a huge wave hit them, and they went under the water. When the wave had passed, both men were gone.
Aboard the carrier all watched breathless, hoping to see their heads again. “Oh, come up!” someone cried. Alas, they watched, and waited — and waited, but in vain. Finally they gave up hope of ever seeing the men again.
They had tried hard to save those men, but failed. Almost saved — but lost!
The Lord Jesus, however, is mighty to save — “able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him.” Heb. 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25). The man from the helicopter came down to try and save the pilot, and the Lord Jesus came down from heaven to “seek and to save that which was lost.” It was the strings from the parachute that so entangled these men and trapped them; and so it is our sins that entangle and trap us and drag us down to death and hell.
Jesus the Son of God is the only One who can set us free from our sins and guilt. He can lift us up and set us in a place of safety where no storm of trouble or of judgment can ever touch us. What a wonderful Saviour He is!
He alone the Saviour is Everlasting praise be His!
ML-02/29/1976