One bright summer morning two boys were on their way to the school at F—.
They had to pass a rapid stream, which was much flooded by recent rains.
The younger of the two, a thoughtless, giddy boy, amused himself by jumping on the banks overhanging the stream, much to the alarm of his compinion, who kept warning him of his danger.
The boy, to show his vaunted courage and independence, took an extra run and a jump, which, however, proved one too many, for away went the sod, and the boy with it, into the rushing torrent below.
Helplessly he was carried down the stream, his courage all gone now, and his rescue depending solely on what another could do for him.
His companion was speechless with terror; but it suddenly struck him that a little way down the river was a footbridge, and hastening with all speed, he found, as he expected, that the water nearly touched the bridge. He accordingly laid himself flat upon it, waiting till the drowning boy should reach the place, when, with an energy of grasp and determination, he seized him by the collar of the coat, and held him fast.
“Hold me! hold me!” cried the frightened boy, in trembling consciouess that he was powerless to help himself. “Hold me! hold me!” was all he could say, and only by giving himself over to the other’s strength and ceasing to struggle was he rescued from a watery grave.
Just such is the state of a poor, helpless sinner; his rescue from the waves and billows of God’s judgment depends entirely on what another—Christ Jesus —has done for him. It was not the boy’s prayer, “Hold me!” that saved him; his prayer was only the outflow of his heart, realizing his needed delivence; but it was the work of the other boy who saved him, not because of his prayer, but because of his own ability and willingness to save one from death, who, but a few moments before, had scoffed at his warnings and despised his entreaties.
And, in like manner, it is not prayer that saves us, but
ML 01/16/1944