It was a cold day! Down by a river in Toronto, a man struggled to get out of mud which had held him captive for four hours. He was up to his waist in the thick slime and was getting so cold that he was in danger of dying. It seemed that there was no one around to help.
On that day, Danny, Jeremy and Robert went biking together down by that river. Suddenly, they saw this man who had fallen over a ledge into the mud by the side of the river. They could see that he was sinking deeper and deeper!
The three boys knew that however they tried to get him out, it would probably get them stuck in the mud too. They made a wise decision. Robert went on his bike for help while the other two stayed to talk to the man, who was slipping into unconsciousness.
All of us are born with a sinful nature, and so we come into the world trapped in sin. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. In fact, anything we try only buries us deeper. Other people can’t help us either, but there is Someone who can. “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:77Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? (Mark 2:7)).
After about 30 minutes, a rescue squad came with the needed equipment and with rescuers who were trained to save people in these situations. It took them two hours to pull the man out of the mud!
Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sins. Because He loves you and me so very much, He died on Calvary’s cross for us. He took on Himself God’s punishment for the sins of every person who will come to Him for forgiveness. He lovingly tells us, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:3434And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34)). We are saved from our sins forever!
The next day, Danny, Jeremy and Robert were mentioned in the newspaper. They hadn’t really rescued the man, but they had gone for help since the man could not help himself. We cannot help ourselves trapped in our sins, but we can make a wise decision and turn to the Saviour of sinners this very moment. Jesus is waiting to hear our call and will save us right now. “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)). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, 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-08/10/1997