Marge zipped up her windbreaker and shivered a little. She was uncertain about sailboating that day. There were heavy clouds off to the west and the wind was rather gusty. When she questioned if they should be going out on the water, both Mark and Mike assured her they were good sailors, so all would be well. Only the presence of Mark, to whom she recently had become engaged, reassured her as she reluctantly got into the sailboat.
All week Marge and Mark had looked forward to spending Saturday sailing on Lake Michigan with their friend Mike in his sailboat. Their day of relaxation on the lake had finally arrived, and now the weather was gray and cool. But the three had headed out to the lake anyway, hoping the weather would change for the better.
Not one of them had bothered to listen to the weather forecast that morning. If they had they would have heard that a “small craft advisory” had been issued. It warned boaters to stay off the open water.
A sailboat properly handled is safer than a motorboat in rough water. The keel of a sailboat keeps it from tipping over. But sailing can be dangerous under certain conditions as there is no way to stop a boat under sail (no motor to cut and no brakes to put on), and it is also difficult to turn around.
The three friends guided the sailboat out of the harbor and out onto the open water. The brisk wind pushed the craft along at a good clip. They originally had planned to stay out all day and watch the sun set behind the Chicago skyline. Farther and farther they sailed out. The city’s tall buildings became tiny blocks on the horizon.
Then rather quickly those heavy clouds from the west were over the lake and the wind picked up, whipping up large waves with whitecaps. Realizing the lake now was in no condition for even good sailors to be out on, the two men tried to turn the boat back toward the harbor.
As they were turning, a sudden, violent gust of wind gave the boat an unexpected lurch. Marge was caught off guard and thrown into the water. When Mark saw her he dove in after her.
Mike, who was sailing the boat, was in an awful spot! He couldn’t stop the boat; he couldn’t even turn it around to come to the aid of his two friends. He quickly grabbed the life preservers hanging on the rail at the back of the boat and heaved them with all his might to the two struggling to stay above the surface of the rough water. Then all he could do was head for shore to send back help.
Mark grabbed one life preserver, but the other one was carried out of his reach by the rough water. One life preserver for two people! The boat had already disappeared out of their sight. No other help was near.
The water was cold and the waves were so high they washed over them. Mark knew one life preserver wouldn’t be able to support both of them very long. It would be a couple of hours before the help Mike would send out would reach them. What could they do?
Mark made up his mind... he gave the life preserver to Marge and let go of her. They drifted apart. She saw him struggling in the waves. He went under once and came back up.
He went under a second time, and she never saw him again. It was two long hours before the coast guard rescued the devastated girl from the stormy lake.
It was a tragic moment when Mark and Marge were in the rough water with only one life preserver between the two of them. Mark had it in his power to save his own life by keeping the life preserver, but had he done that it would have meant Marge’s death, the one whom he loved.
Most of us will never find ourselves facing such a decision. But will you permit me to tell you of One who has made that decision about you? He loves you so very much He gave up His life to make it possible for you to have everlasting life. This person is the Lord Jesus Christ. When He died on Calvary’s cross He received from God the punishment for the sins of those who would accept Him as their Saviour. He died so that these people would escape God’s punishment for their sins in hell.
He had it in His power to save Himself from the death of the cross, but because He loves us more than Mark could ever have loved Marge, He chose to die so that the way of salvation might be opened up to us. As a song writer beautifully wrote:
Himself He could not save,
He on the cross must die,
Or mercy cannot come
To ruined sinners nigh,
Yes, Christ, the Son of God, must bleed
That sinners might from sin be freed.
It is because of His Son’s death that God is able to offer everlasting life to all who will accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) says, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Seeing what it cost God to be able to offer you the gift of everlasting life, don’t you think you should accept His gift at once?
ML-02/09/1986