Six-year-old Tony Bernadino and his eight-year-old brother were flying kites near their home in California. They were 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 workmen had gone home leaving the hole uncovered.
Tony, unaware of any danger, stepped backward into the hole. His brother’s scream alerted their father who rushed to the spot. Frantically he raced to the telephone, and soon firemen and paramedics were on the scene.
For Tony it had all happened so quickly — one moment he was flying a kite... and then suddenly he was trapped in a deep, dark hole and not able to get out. There are many people in the world today who, like this, are trapped in sin. They are not able to help themselves; they must wait for help from another. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6).
Rescue operations started at once. One of the men was lowered into the hole head first. He found the boy alive, but so wedged in that he could not be moved. The rescuer also found that the walls of the hole were not very strong. Fearing that more dirt would fall in on Tony, he signaled to be pulled back out of the hole.
Special equipment from the telephone company was lowered down into the hole. The paramedics and Tony’s father were able to talk with him. They did their best to encourage and assure him that he would soon be rescued.
Then a large drilling rig with a three-foot auger 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 over to where he was trapped.
Finally at midnight, seven hours from the time Tony disappeared down the hole, he was brought out. The crowd which had gathered at the edge of the hole broke into applause as a rescuer appeared with the boy in his arms. Tony was then laid on a stretcher and carefully moved into a helicopter and was flown to a hospital.
Neither effort nor expense were spared in saving Tony. 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?” Romans 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, not able to help ourselves. The Lord Jesus did not hesitate to go 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.” Psalms 18:1616He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. (Psalm 18:16). “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.” Psalms 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 their Saviour are still in the pit of sin, though they may not be aware of their hopeless condition. If this is your case, you can be saved today. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).
ML-10/27/1985