LITTLE six-year-old Anthony and his eight-year-old brother were flying kites near their home in California. It was in a field where a bridge was being built and the construction crew had just dug a hole two feet wide and 28 feet deep. The men had gone home leaving the hole uncovered.
Even as his father watched, little Anthony, unaware of danger, fell backward into the hole and disappeared. As his brother screamed, his father rushed to the spot. Alarmed he raced to the telephone and soon fire and police rescue squads were on the scene, along with a doctor.
Rescue operations were started at once. One man was lowered down the hole headfirst but had to be hauled up again. He found the poor boy with an arm and leg so stuck that it would be impossible to make further attempts to help him without causing more dirt to fall and suffocate him. By special equipment lowered down the hole the doctor was able to talk encouragingly with the little fellow, assuring him that he would soon be rescued. The boy’s frantic cries were indeed pitiful to hear, especially to his poor father.
Then a large drilling rig with a 3-foot augur arrived and began to bore down into the earth eight feet from the boy. They went down 30 feet and began to dig a tunnel to where the boy was trapped.
At last at midnight, seven hours from the time Anthony disappeared down the hole, through the mercy of God the awful ordeal ended in triumph. A mighty cheer went up from the crowd gathered at the mouth of the hole as a workman appeared with the boy in his arms. Little Anthony was laid on a stretcher and a helicopter whisked him away to a hospital. The next day he was well on his way to recovery.
Neither effort nor expense were spared in saving the boy. And no sacrifice was too great for God in His love to save poor fallen sinners, deep down in the pit of sin and despair. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
God sent His dear Son down to this world to rescue us, trapped by Satan, ruined by the fall, and the Lord Jesus did not stop short of going down into those deep dark waters of death to save and to lift us up. “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.” Psa. 18.16. Again, “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. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psa. 40:2,32He 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. 3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2‑3).
But only those who have trusted in Christ can speak of this wonderful deliverance. Those who do not know Him as Saviour are still down in the pit of sin, though they may not be aware of their hopeless condition. Yet, dear reader, if this is your case, you can be saved today. “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).
ML-08/06/1972