On the front page of our local newspaper in large black letters were the words,
“THANK YOU, THANK YOU
FOR SAVING ME!”
They were spoken by a young boy who realized he had just been rescued from certain death. The boy had climbed down into a manhole to explore, had slipped on the slimy surface, and was carried down the pipes in the filthy water. When he found his footing, he was waist deep in the dark, smelly, murky, fast-flowing water. He could not go back, for the water was rushing too strongly, so when he found something to hang on to, he stayed where he was. He was cold and scared. As hour after hour passed, he had lots of time to think. He thought of his mother and his friends at the top of the manhole, and he thought about dying. Would anyone come to his rescue? Could anyone help him? And even though he had never thought much about God, he began to pray.
Here was a boy who knew he needed to be saved from death in the sewer pipes. But there are many people who do not know they need to be saved from eternal death. The Lord Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)), and the Apostle Peter tells us that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). The name Jesus means saviour - one who saves from danger or destruction-and He came to rescue us from our lost condition in our sins and to save us that we might have eternal life.
What the boy did not know was that his friends had gone for help. A large group of people had gathered up above, and much discussion was going on as to how to rescue him.
It was near midnight when two brave firemen, wearing wet-suits and breathing equipment, climbed down the manhole, dragging a small raft, and with powerful flashlights followed the flowing water. They did not have much hope of finding the boy but kept calling his name and shining the light. The boy thought he heard a voice above the roar of the water; then he saw a bit of light, and he began to cry out. The firemen shone the light until it fell on the boy, weak and cold. One fireman reached out and scooped him up onto the raft. Then they dragged him back to the manhole and up to the anxious, waiting crowd. Imagine the joy of his mother and his friends to receive him back safe and sound.
And what a picture of our Saviour who came from above, down to this sinful earth to shine light into our souls. He calls our names, and when we answer, He lifts us out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and carries us to His kingdom of light. The Bible tells us in Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10) that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that [repents]”-one sinner that has been saved from eternal destruction.
Do you know that you need to be saved? Do as that boy did, and pray, for “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)). Then you, like that boy, can tell the Lord Jesus, “Thank you, thank you for saving me!”
ML-11/24/2002