My husband John and I have an unusual home; we live on a houseboat. We keep it moored in a downtown dock. From this location John has only a 20 minute walk to work. The boat is not very large, but it is comfortable. This is the only home our son Joel has ever known; the boat has been our home since before he was born. He is now six years old and goes to school nearby.
Being around water all his life, Joel knows all about the dangers. From his first tottering steps he has been trained to be careful and aware of the dangerous conditions all around him.
When Joel was old enough to play off the boat, we had him fitted with personal flotation devices. He wears a life vest in the summer and a special coat, called a “floater coat,” in the winter. Each of these could keep him afloat with his head above water if he were to fall in. He has been taught never to leave the boat without wearing one of these.
Do you have a “personal safety device” for your eternal soul—that part of you that will never die? Everyone has a soul, and while here on earth we have to decide what will happen to our soul when our body dies. Each of us has sinned, and, according to the Bible, judgment or eternal punishment is required by God for all sin. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27).
However, God has provided an escape from that eternal punishment, which is the result of sin. He loves sinners so much He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bear the punishment instead, for everyone who will accept Him as their Saviour. For them He becomes their “personal safety device” which will protect them from the punishment that their sins deserve.
On the cross the Lord Jesus was punished, and the blood that He shed there will wash away all trace of sin. Then each can enter heaven (God’s presence) because of what the Lord Jesus has done for them. He has protected them; He has kept them from sinking into hell, where their sins would have taken them; He has given them each a personal salvation (protection).
Six-year-old children are usually busy and can get into trouble rather easily. Joel was no exception. In fact, because of the dangers of living among the boats, docks, ladders and water, he probably got into more trouble than most children his age.
One day Joel and his eight-year-old friend Meg got carried away with their game of tag. Joel lost his footing on a narrow walkway and SPLASH—he fell into the water. I was about 25 feet away, but out of sight when I heard him cry out. I dropped what I was doing and dashed toward the sound. I heard Meg calling encouragingly to him. As I rounded the corner of the boathouse, I saw him in the water with the tide carrying him away from the dock.
But Meg was handling the emergency just the way she had been taught by her parents. (She also had grown up with the ocean as her front yard.) She hadn’t even taken the time to call for help. Once she realized that Joel was floating away she quickly threw him a life ring that was nearby which had a rope attached. Joel had caught it and Meg was pulling him in as I arrived. The training they both had received and the protective life vest that Joel was wearing probably had saved his life.
Although this is not pleasant to think about, none of us know when a disaster might strike, and we could be killed instantly. We all know of water accidents, car accents, fires, earthquakes and other things. Usually there is no time to get ready for such things, because they happen suddenly. This was the case when Joel was playing tag—one second he was safe on the dock... and the next second he was in the water, and easily could have drowned had he not been wearing his “personal protection device.”
Each of us needs to prepare right now to be sure that we have the eternal protection we need. Besides the dangers of sudden death and not having our sins washed away, we also know from the Bible that the Lord Jesus is returning very soon. He is coming to take back to heaven with Him every person who has accepted Him as their Saviour. After He comes the opportunity to be saved will be gone forever. Don’t put off this decision until it’s too late. Accept the protection now that is being offered. “Now is the accepted time... now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).
ML-09/02/1984