Amy had a happy smile on her face as she skipped along holding her mother’s hand. It had been a hot August week. Every day Amy had begged, “Mother, can’t I please go swimming?” Every day the answer had been the same: “Wait until Daddy has a day off work so that he can stay with the baby, and then I’ll take you.”
Now at last the day had arrived, and Mother and Amy were on their way to the pool. Amy had learned to swim the summer before. Now that she was seven years old she felt sure she was big enough to swim in the deep end of the pool with the older children.
When they arrived at the pool, they found it crowded with children. They all were laughing, splashing and shouting as they enjoyed the cool water. Amy was quick to join in and soon was running out to the end of the diving board, jumping off and paddling back to the side of the pool. Mother sat near the side of the pool and looked up from her knitting with a smile each time Amy shouted, “Watch me this time, Mother!”
After a while Amy began to get tired, but she did not want to quit just yet. “Just a few more times,” she promised herself, “and then I’ll quit.”
At last she realized she would have to stop and rest for a while, but first she wanted one last jump. Out to the end of the diving board she trotted, took a big jump, splashed into the water, and began paddling very slowly to the side.
Suddenly, Amy knew she was in danger. She was just too tired to swim any longer, and she began to sink. She knew what she should do; she should call for help. Mother was sitting right by the side of the pool, and the life guard with his whistle around his neck was sitting up on his platform, ready to help anyone in trouble. Still, Amy did not call for help. Do you know why? She was afraid that if she called for help her mother or the life guard would pull her out of the water and say: “You’re too little to be in this deep water! Go back to the shallow end of the pool with the little children.” She was afraid they would laugh at her and spoil her fun, so she struggled and thrashed around in the water until she began to sink down, down, down to the bottom of the pool.
Boys and girls, would you be as foolish as Amy was? I hope you would be wise enough to call for help if you were drowning. Hover, you might be even more foolish than Amy for another reason.
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)) and that “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). You know that you are sinking deeper and deeper in sin, but you are still struggling to save yourself, not willing to call for help to the only One who is able to save you. The Bible tells us, too, that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)) and that “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)). Have you called upon His name? Have you told the Lord Jesus that you know you are a sinner and asked Him to save you? Or, like Amy, are you afraid that your friends, or even your family, might laugh at you or make fun of you? Do not put it off. Call upon the Lord Jesus today while you still have the chance.
Amy slowly rose to the surface again, still struggling and still stubbornly refusing to call for help... but someone was watching. Mother looked over to see what Amy was doing and saw her head and thrashing arms just above the surface of the water. Dropping her knitting, Mother shouted to a big girl who was in the water near Amy, “Please! Grab that little girl and bring her over here!” Quickly the big girl grabbed Amy by her hair and towed her over to where Mother was waiting. Mother thanked the big girl very much as she pulled Amy out of the water and hugged her tightly. Mother’s watchful care and the strong arm of the older girl had saved Amy’s life.
Amy nearly lost her life because she would not admit she needed help. I hope you boys and girls will not be that foolish. Admit that you are a sinner, and call on the Lord Jesus today. He promises, “Call upon Me... I will deliver thee.” Psalms 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).
ML-09/04/1983