It was a terrible earthquake! The building seemed to jump and then roll back and forth. Pictures, dishes and plaster came crashing down! The terrified children alone in the fifth floor apartment huddled under the table. Ten of them, ranging in age from four to twelve, had been left unattended for just a few mites. Then the earthquake occurred.
When the building stopped shaking, the children ran to the door to go down the steps. They pulled open the door and stopped. The stairs had fallen! There was nothing but a big open space. Frantically they ran to the balcony and called for help. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will diver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” (Psa. 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).)
Rescuers arrived at that time and quickly understood the problem. They radioed for ladder trucks but were told that roads to that area were blocked. They found ropes and ladders in the basement of a hardware store, but the ladders were too short to reach the balcony. An aftershock from the quake caused the building to rock again. It appeared as if it were about to collapse. Leaking gas in the basement burst into flames, causing the younger children to panic. The men shouted to the older children to find some string and lower it while holding tightly onto the other end. The children found a ball of twine in the rubble, and while quickly unwinding it lowered it to the men below. The men tied a strong rope to the string which the children then pulled up and tied tightly to the railing of the balcony.
One of the rescuers immediately began to climb up the rope. It was dangerous, but up he went to save those children at the risk of his life. Reaching the balcony he shouted down, “There’s a ton of them up here. I can’t manage to save them alone.”
Without any hesitation another man climbed up the rope. Together the two men made a slip knot at the end of the rope and lowered one child down to safety.
How this reminds us of the Lord Jesus who came to save sinners. But He did not say, “I can’t save them alone.” There was no one but He who could save us, and He went into death all alone. He could say, “Of the people there was none with Me.” (Isa. 63:33I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. (Isaiah 63:3).) “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no saviour.” (Isa. 43:1111I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43:11).) The children had faith in the rope, faith in those strong men; and it is just such faith or trust that we must have in the Lord Jesus, the Saviour who is mighty, if we are to be saved.
One, two, three, four children were lowered. How many more? Five, six, seven, eight reached the ground in safety. Breathlessly, friends watched below as the ninth and then the tenth were safely lowered. At last, all the children were saved—saved from the fire that was quickly spreading. What a salvation!
But not so great as that which saves us from sin and death and everlasting judgment. What a Saviour Jesus is!
When all were down, the rescuers quickly slid down the ropes themselves as the onlookers cheered and thanked the men who were only too glad to have saved so many young lives. How thankful those children were! But our Saviour deserves far more from us, for He has given His life to save us. He died that we might live.
ML-04/20/1980