It was cold outside. Michael’s mom made sure her five-year-old son was snug and warm in a jacket and hat. He couldn’t wait to get outside to play.
“Stay close to the house,” his mom told him as she let him out the door.
“I will, Mom.”
Michael ran to the corner of his street and found some boys to play with. The boys were good friends. They played tag for a while before one of the boys suggested they head to the creek. One of them said, “Let’s build a dam.” Michael forgot all about listening to his mom’s order to stay close to the house and followed along with the other boys.
The small community they lived in backed up to a thick forest. Chimacum Creek was in part of the forest and was several hundred yards away. It was spring, and recent rains had swollen the creek. In summer, the boys would spend countless hours wading and splashing in the creek. It ran over rocks and fallen logs, and in certain seasons of the year, large salmon swam upstream to spawn. However, because of recent rains and snowmelt in the Olympic Mountains, the creek was more like a swift-running river.
The boys threw small rocks to make splashes in the water. Two of them together heaved an old log into the creek and then watched the current swiftly carry it away downstream. Michael found a large, round stone and hefted it over his head. He stepped to the bank and threw the rock as far as he could into the creek. It made one big splash!
As Michael stepped back, his foot slipped out from under him, and he fell into the swollen creek. Before he could even yell for help, the current swept him downstream! In most places the water only came up to his chest, but the current was so strong he was never able to get his feet set under him. Michael gasped because of the cold water and fought to keep his head up so he could breathe.
Nick, one of the boys, knew at once he couldn’t rescue his friend who was disappearing downstream. He ran to Michael’s house as fast as he could. Panting for breath, he told Michael’s mom that her son had fallen into the creek and was being carried downstream. She immediately called 911. In a matter of seconds, the 911 operators put out an emergency call for help.
One of the dads who lived nearby was a volunteer fireman. He always carried his emergency radio clipped to his belt. He heard the emergency call as he was driving his pickup truck on his way to work. He hit the brakes hard, turned the truck around, and sped towards the creek. He knew the habits of the boys well and was able to guess where they were playing. When he got to the end of the road, he drove his truck right over brush and rocks and even small trees in his race to get to the stream. He knew life or death for the boy might be a matter of seconds. When he got near the creek’s edge, he flung open the door and raced out.
A woman who had arrived only minutes before, pointed him towards the boy. A little ways downstream he saw the little boy’s head and arm jutting above the water. Michael had found a branch of a fallen tree in midstream and was hanging on to it with one hand.
Without hesitating, the man jumped into the creek and plowed through the water to the boy. The water was icy cold, and he banged his knees on submerged rocks. He was so focused on rescuing the boy, he ignored the pain. When he got to Michael, he grabbed on to him and struggled to pry the little boy’s fingers off the branch, because they had stiffened in the cold water. The man carried him to shore. Other adults had arrived and helped them up the bank of the creek. A short time later, an ambulance arrived and took Michael to a hospital where he was treated.
How good it was for Michael that a volunteer fireman heard the emergency call and then, without any hesitation, came to the rescue. The fireman was very strong and brave and was able to save him.
How good it is for you and me that “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). When we were being swept away by the power of our sins, the Lord Jesus, without any hesitation, came to rescue us. The One who created the universe came down from heaven to earth to become a man. Because He loved you and me so much, He went to the cross where He died in the sinner’s place. “God [commends] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
The Lord Jesus knew that if He didn’t go to the cross, we would be swept away and die in our sins. On the cross, the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood which is able to wash away the sins of every person who turns to Him by faith. Now the good news of the gospel is free to go out to the entire world. It proclaims “that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:1515That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15)).
Some people don’t see their need of the Saviour who died on Calvary. They think the good news is fine for others, but not for themselves. They don’t believe that they are being swept along in sin’s power, nor do they see the danger ahead if they continue in their sins. If you are one who doesn’t think you need salvation, won’t you consider this for a moment? The fact that you can read a little gospel story like this and then lay it down without ever wanting to know more about God’s love is proof that sin has you in its deadly current and is carrying you away.
We hope and pray that you will feel your need of the Saviour, so that you will call upon Him at once for salvation. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).
ML-07/20/2003