Wednesday, November 3, 2022
I was once at a swimming pool when a child in the deep end started to drown. The lifeguard sprang into action, grabbed the safety donut and rope, and threw it at him. Her throw landed about five feet short. I saw it, dived in, and shoved the child to safety. In a few minutes everyone was okay. The lifeguard thought she was ready for such an incident, but later she admitted to panicking and forgetting what she had learned.
I share that not to make myself sound good (it was a small pool and I happened to be at the right place at the right time) but rather to say this. The people around us, according to the Gospel, are drowning in their sin. If they do not receive the grace of God they will die and be separated from God in eternal damnation. The world throws all kinds of things at them to give them purpose, meaning and direction. These things, ideas, and philosophies often look and sound good. But in the end, like the thrown safety donut and rope, all these attempts fall painfully short. There is only One who dives into our lives to save us. There is only One who can bring us safely to shore. There is only One who can teach us to swim in this world. There is only One Savior! And we are the ones who he has chosen to use to share this life saving news!
We who claim Jesus name have been reached by Jesus’ life saving grace. We have learned of His promises, His presence, and His power. We see God’s heart expressed towards all in Jesus’ life and death. To often though, when we are in the right place at the right time, we do not share the life saving Gospel of Jesus with others. I am ashamed to confess this, but far to often I am to scared or to caught up in my own world, to really care for the drowning person next to me.
May I be a disciple of Christ who is willing to jump in and do my part in sharing with and helping the drowning person! May we at Bethel be a people who give expression to the heart of God in sharing and helping those around us who are drowning!
Curt
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