“Come, Mr. McTavish, climb into my boat for a little trip down the river.”
Old Mr. McTayish needed no coaxing, for he loved the water, and soon he and his friend Jamie were riding smoothly through the deep waters of the Clyde River.
Presently Jamie shouted in alarm, for a big steamer was coming rapidly toward them, and he was afraid of being swamped. Before he could get out of the way, the big vessel struck them a glancing blow, and caved in the side of their little boat. At once it began to fill with water, and it looked as if both of them would soon be drowned. But of course the sailors on the big vessel had seen what they had done, and action was taken at once. A lifeboat was quickly lowered, and two brave, strong sailors pulled as hard as ever they could toward the sinking men. What a pitiful sight it was. Old Mr. McTavish’s hat was knocked off by the collision, and with his white hair blowing in the breeze, and his hand stretched out, he cried aloud for help.
Jamie in the meantime was bailing out with a bucket as fast as ever he could, and the people on the steamer were watching and praying as the sailors rowed hard toward the sinking men. At last a great shout went up—they were saved! They were rescued just in time, for they were no sooner lifted into the lifeboat than their own wrecked boat went to the bottom.
Perhaps you have never had an adventure like this, but just the same, something very much like this has happened to many boys and girls that I know.
They have been sailing along the sea of life, bound for eternity. They seem quite content and enjoy themselves a lot, not thinking that someday their journey will end. Slowly but surely, sin burdens every heart and life, just as the water filled and sank Jamie’s boat.
But Jesus knows your peril! He loves you and died to wash away your sins and to take you safely to Himself. Right now He stands ready to rescue you. But have you cried to Him for help as old Mr. McTavish did? Jamie soon stopped his effort to save the doomed wreck when the lifeboat came to them, and we want you now to turn to Jesus and to own your need of Him. He will do all the rest, for He is “mighty to save.”
ML 03/28/1954