Two sailors on leave from their ship at a seaport on the African coast were shopping for gifts to take home. Returning to the port by taxi from their shopping trip, they saw a crowd gathering on top of a seawall.
“What’s going on there?” Jim MacLennon, one of the sailors, asked the taxi driver.
“I don’t know,” answered the driver. “It looks like something’s wrong.”
“Stop!” ordered Jim. “There’s somebody in the water!”
Leaping from the taxi, Jim ran to where the crowd watched. The wind had been strong all day and the waves were crashing against the wall. Jim saw a man struggling in the water. Not a second to lose!
Stripping off his coat and shoes, Jim dove from the seawall into the rough sea. He was a strong swimmer, and he swam as hard as he could against the surging waves to the rapidly tiring victim. Reaching him, Jim tried to tow him back to shore. Once... and then a second time, the violence of the waves tore them apart. Each time Jim went after him again, struggling to bring him to shore.
Nearly 2,000 years ago the Lord Jesus Christ “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). Since the Bible tells us that “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), that means that all of us are sinners. That also means that the Lord Jesus Christ came to save all of us. Is that true? Yes, it is but, sad to say, not everybody is saved. Why is that? The answer to that question is simple: there are many who choose not to be saved. They struggle against God’s love, who desires “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4). Are you resisting God’s love? Or have you admitted to God that you are a sinner and need to be saved? If you have, God promises, “him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37). Don’t wait any longer to accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. He longs to save you right now.
As Jim fought to hold on to the drowning man, a tremendous wave washed over them. Once again the receding water tore the man from Jim’s grasp. This time he was carried so far out that there was no way Jim could reach him again.
Jim himself barely made it back to shore where he fell exhausted.
After recovering from his ordeal, Jim was presented with the “Medal of Valor” for his brave rescue attempt. In his short speech Jim spoke of two things— “almost” and “I failed.”
Yes, Jim had almost succeeded in rescuing the victim. We hope you will not become an almost when it comes to being saved. In the Bible we read about King Agrippa who was told plainly how to be saved. His reply was, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Acts 26:2828Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28). Almost, but there is no record that he ever accepted the Saviour.
Jim failed to rescue the drowning man. The Lord Jesus cannot fail. Turn to Him now and be saved. He came in love to save sinners, sinking down to death with the weight of their sins. The Lord Jesus went beneath those dark waves of death and judgment and rose again as the mighty victor over death and Satan. He is still saving the precious souls of any who will trust Him as their Saviour and Lord.
ML-05/20/1984