Phil Townsend's mouth was suddenly full of dirty water! Instead of being asleep inside his family's camper, he was swimming, and it was the middle of the night! He could not figure out what had happened. "Things just don't happen this fast," he told himself as he struggled, trying to keep his head above the rushing water. He was having a hard time of it since the water was moving fast, and he was not a strong swimmer. He found himself upside down as often as right side up.
The valley where they had parked their camper must have been hit by a flash flood. He could now remember seeing a warning sign about the danger of flash flooding as they turned into the campground. It had not rained here, but it must have rained up in the mountains, sending the deluge of water through the dry canyon, washing them away!
At any rate, the water had come from someplace, suddenly, and with no warning! One minute he had been sound asleep in their camper with his parents and sister. The next minute he was struggling in this rushing, dirty water!
Where was his family? Where would the rushing water carry him? All he could do was try to stay afloat.
As Phil was being carried along in the flood waters, thoughts of his life and the things that he had heard at Sunday school flashed across his mind. He knew that he was not saved—the problem of his sins was not settled. He had heard about the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he had even memorized verses from the Bible. But he knew that he had never asked the Lord Jesus to forgive his sins. One verse kept flashing through his mind: "after death the judgment" Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27). No, he was not ready to die and meet God! passing high walls of cliff like the one they had parked beside. Maybe there was a bush or something he could grab onto. He strained to see, but a dark cloud blotted out what little light there had been. Lightning flashed, followed by a clap of thunder that brief flash of light he saw a little shelf-like ledge. It was a few feet higher than his head, and he was coming to it fast.
He would have to reach up for it. He hoped he wouldn't miss. He pushed up as high as he could when he reached the wall and caught the ledge. The rock was crumbly, but he managed to hang on. He dangled half in and half out of the water, gasping for air. He wondered if God had helped him. But God did not know who he was... or did He? God would know everyone, wouldn't He? But if the person hadn't believed in Him, would He bother to help? Phil wondered about this as he gradually pulled himself up halfway onto the ledge.
The rock began to crumble under his weight. If the ledge were that soft, he wondered with a sinking feeling, would he be able to pull himself up? But it was his only escape, so he had to try. He dug his toes into the cliff wall and, with a mighty effort, finally got up on the ledge. He was gasping, but relief flowed over him. He had made it!
There are people who think that they are safe and on their way to heaven. They think the ledge that they are hanging on to is going to protect them. But if that ledge or rock is not the Solid Rock (the Lord Jesus Christ), then it is not a safe place. "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psa. 40:22He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalm 40:2). "In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God." Psa. 62:77In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. (Psalm 62:7).
What about you? Are you resting on the Solid Rock, or are you resting on something that is going to crumble? The only safe and solid place is in accepting the Lord Jesus as your own Savior. You must realize that you are a sinner and cannot help yourself. Then believe that the Lord Jesus loves you and died for you, that on the cross He suffered and was punished for your sins. Then the promise from God is: "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish." John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28). Won't you accept Him right now as your Savior?
Phil huddled on the ledge and wondered where his parents and sister were. He figured if he had been washed out of the camper, they probably had been, too. Maybe they had drowned! He shuddered, and the lightning flashed again. But by its light he saw a crevice in the wall of rock just beyond him. It looked deep enough for an eleven-year-old to climb into. To get to the crevice he would have to leave the ledge that he was on. He was so tired he didn't know if he could make it. Should he stay where he was, or try to reach the crevice? While he was deciding, a large chunk of the ledge near him crumbled and slid into the rushing water. This answered his question!
Phil eased himself back into the water and moved along the wall. He had gone only a few feet when he heard a sliding sound as the rest of his ledge fell into the water!
Soon he was even with the crevice. Once more he put all his strength into the upward climb. Finally, he crawled into the safety of the deep slash in the wall. A crack couldn't wash away—he was safe!
Yes, Phil had found a safe place in the rock. Those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior can say, "Thou art my hiding place." Psa. 32:77Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (Psalm 32:7). In Christ we are safe, and He will never let us go. He is the only safe place in this life. Any other "place" will crumble and slide into the water! Make sure that you are safe on the Rock that will last forever.
Phil stayed in that crevice all night. When daylight came, helicopters searched the flooded area. They spotted him and helped him out of the crevice with a rope-sling lift. He learned then that his family had been rescued, too. They had been washed along inside the camper for six miles in the wild water. The family was soon united in a happy reunion.
We're happy that the Townsend family was rescued and united again. Better still, this experience also made them realize that they were not ready to die and meet God. It was not long before each of them accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Savior. Isn't it time for you to find a shelter from the judgment that is coming?