David Earley is afraid of heights, and so am I. He works for a company that installs liners in big, super-tall smokestacks. Normally that’s not a problem because he usually works on the ground operating equipment. But the night of Saturday, March 4, 2006, would be different . . . very, very different.
David’s boss ordered him to the top of the 976 ft.-high stack. David refused, but when told he would lose his job if he didn’t go, he tried to conquer his fear. Up he went on a hoisting platform with two other workers. First, they went higher than a house, then higher than the trees, higher than a water tower, and then higher than the length of a football field. Up and up they went. Just to look down from the hoisting platform must have been terrifying, as the people below looked smaller and smaller.
I don’t know how long they were working before they heard the explosion and felt the flames below them. The hoist failed, and without brakes the hoist was held up only by its gears. Below, workers scrambled to get away. Emergency teams were quickly called. Careful planning and training meant those teams were all prepared to respond, and twelve fire departments, nine emergency teams and four police departments from four counties and two states came racing to the scene.
Sadly, nothing could be done. After all, who has a rescue ladder longer than three football fields? That’s what they needed to get to the top of the smokestack. And I suppose it’s difficult to fight a fire inside an enclosed concrete stack, because they just couldn’t put it out. It would burn for dozens of hours; in fact, it spread up the lining of the stack. The flames moved toward the workers above while blazing heat billowed upward, enveloping David and his two coworkers. The three men were trapped and terrified.
I’m thankful that I’ve never been in their shoes, but I have been trapped by something even more deadly - sin. In fact, we all have been trapped by sin, and many people still are trapped. Not only is it true that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), but all have been “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:11And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)). A dead person can do nothing, absolutely nothing for himself. As much as some people might want to break free from sin or rescue their friends, they can’t do it! While David and his coworkers realized rescue seemed hopeless, they did what was most important-they prayed.
The flames burned closer and hotter. Fire began to break out on their clothing. They would slap it out, and it would break out in another place. There was no way to climb down, no one could climb up to them, and now they were beginning to catch fire!
But hope finally arrived above them . . . a helicopter! And the only hope for sinners must come from the heavens too, from Jesus Christ Himself.
The helicopter pilot and two police medics were doing their best to reach the three men, but it was difficult. The darkness of night limited their vision, and swirling winds blew smoke through the air. Below them were super-high-voltage power lines, and the huge smoke stack was beside them. The pilot sent down the safety bucket.
Do you suppose that David didn’t really want to leave the platform and get into the safety bucket in the windy darkness? But what choice did he have? Many people who don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ personally don’t have real confidence in Him either. They don’t know how completely trustworthy He is. They think trusting their entire lives to Him is about as scary as stepping into a swinging bucket almost a thousand feet above a raging fire.
The first two men were lifted safely to the helicopter, one at a time. When the last man got into the bucket, there was no one left to steady it, and it skidded off the edge of the platform and fell out of sight ten feet below. But the rope held, and he was safely pulled up to the helicopter.
Christ Jesus is the only one who can rescue us from our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). He came from heaven above down to earth, purposely to rescue sinners. Any sinner who turns to Him can have his sins washed away. But unlike a scary bucket ride up to safety, He has promised, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)). The Bible tells us that Jesus is “Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:1111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)), and He keeps all His promises. Won’t you turn to Him from the trap of sin today and be saved? He is your only hope.
ML-10/08/2006