Jess Phillips wakened to frantic pounding on his front door! It was his neighbor who quickly told him that Emmy, his dog, had fallen through the ice into open water about three hundred yards from shore. Jess had let out his one-year-old golden retriever pup earlier that morning, then he had gone back to sleep in the family’s Lake Maloney cabin.
The weather had been a little warmer, and out by the open water the ice was beginning to get thin around the edges. Neighbors told Jess they thought Emmy had gone after bald eagles on the ice, which is not surprising, since that’s what golden retrievers do—chase birds if there aren’t any rabbits around to chase.
Hearing that news about Emmy, Jess was suddenly wide-awake and outside, trying to think what to do. As much as he loved his dog and was anxious to save her, he knew he couldn’t go out there on the ice to try to rescue her. There was too much risk that he would fall through the ice too, and then there would be two of them in trouble. But he had to do something fast or the loved family pet would drown. Nobody knew how long Emmy had already been struggling in the icy water.
What do you do when suddenly you have an emergency on your hands that you can’t solve? You call for help. Those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour know we can immediately turn to Him with a quick prayer for help, and He always answers! Psalm 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15) tells us to “call upon Me [the Lord Jesus] in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.”
We don’t know if Jess prayed for help, but we do know a quick call was made to the County Sheriff’s Department, and they soon arrived with the Volunteer Dive Team. The team knew just what to do. The divers took a boat out on the water to where Emmy was still struggling and suited up to jump into the icy water to rescue her.
Jess thought for sure she wasn’t going to last long enough for them to save her. He really loved Emmy, and if he could, he would have done anything to save her.
The Dive Team was successful in getting Emmy into the boat, saving her from drowning. Jess rushed her to a vet where they found her body temperature had dropped so low she was in a state of shock. They quickly warmed her up in a warm bath to get her circulation going and then kept her all night where they could watch her and keep her warm.
Thanks to the rescue team, Emmy’s story has a happy ending. “They never gave up,” said Jess. “They risked their lives to save my dog. Those guys are pretty special to me.”
Those of us who belong to the Lord Jesus were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:11And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)) when He saved us. But He didn’t just risk His life to save us; He voluntarily gave up His life on Calvary’s cross. It was His great love for sinners that made Him willing to take the punishment for our sins and die for us. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). He loves us so much He went the whole way and never gave up on us. That’s how much He loves you and me.
Your story can have a happy ending too, if you will let the Lord Jesus save you from your sins. He has a happy home in heaven where He is waiting for those who have come to Him to be washed clean from their sins.
Will you accept His loving offer to save you? He is the only One who can.
ML-04/22/2012