When we were in Kenya, the only way we could get water was to send to the nearest city which was Mombasa, nearly 50 miles away. We had a truck which pulled a trailer with a tank on it. We called this a water bowser.
On the way two deep and wide rivers must be crossed. To, get over them the truck and trailer had to go on a hand operated ferryboat. There was a chain which stretched from one side of the river to the other and six or eight men pulling on the chain were the power that operated the ferry.
There was no other way of crossing the river; it was by the ferry or not at all Isn’t that like salvation? In Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) we read, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” If you want to cross over into heaven where the Lord is, you can only do so by trusting in that precious One, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our verse tells us. If He is not your Saviour then you will surely perish in your sins for there is no other way.
One evening we were waiting on the home side of the last river for the truck to come back with the water, and as you may know it gets dark very quickly in that country after the sun goes down.
We could see away across the river as the truck’s headlights came around the curve, past some cars that were waiting. It started down the ramp and then the lights went out.
We waited a long time and wondered why the ferry took so long. Eventually it came and was empty except for a few people. What had happened? Where was the truck? Soon we discovered that our truck with its precious supply of water was in the river. As the driver was going down the ramp he put the brakes on, but the brakes did not hold, and the weight of the water pushed truck and all straight into the river beside the ferry.
This reminds me of many people who have not had their sins taken away by the precious blood of Jesus. They think they can control themselves, but those very sins will carry them into everlasting punishment. “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope.” Isa. 5:1818Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: (Isaiah 5:18). “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” Prov. 5:2222His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. (Proverbs 5:22).
We cannot do anything to save ouelves, but any who will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in simple faith, just taking Him at His word, will have their sins washed away in His own precious blood which makes them whiter than snow.
ML 03/11/1956