They were three miles into the Gulf of Mexico on a fishing boat when Maggie spotted something bobbing in the water. At first glance it looked like it could be a sea turtle or a piece of kelp. What else could it be that far out in Homosassa Bay?
As the boat moved closer, they could tell it was something alive and could hear its distressing cries. It didn’t take long to discover the object was a tiny, apricot-colored kitten. The little creature was paddling furiously and screaming at the top of its lungs.
They were three miles from shore, so where had the little kitten come from? Had it fallen off another boat? How had it managed to survive for even a few minutes in the choppy waves of saltwater? The frantic kitten was doing all it could to stay afloat, but it would have been only a matter of time until its strength gave out. And then . . . we know what the sad ending would have been.
People have sad endings to their lives too, especially those who leave God out and are struggling in their sea of sins. Some don’t seem to care about their sins or try to forget about them. But there are some who, like the little kitten, know they are in trouble and are doing everything they think might help. They paddle furiously in their good deeds and church attendance, but they aren’t any closer to rescue than the kitten was. Deliverance has to come from a rescuer!
Maggie was the rescuer of the little kitten. When the boat moved in closer, she scooped up the waterlogged tiny creature, dried him off and kept him with her for the next eight hours, until the boat would dock. She said that “he was exhausted and stressed, and his heart rate was high.” But he would survive.
Who is the rescuer for sinners? We find the answer in the Bible in Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6): “When we were yet without strength . . . Christ died for the ungodly.” God saw us struggling in our sea of sins, and because He loves us and cares about us, He sent His beloved Son for the very purpose of rescuing sinners. First Timothy 1:15 says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus died on the cross, bearing the punishment for sin in the place of any sinner who would come to Him for rescue from their sins.
A few days later, Maggie took the little kitten to a veterinarian who pronounced the 10week-old, 1pound kitten healthy, in spite of its brush with death. Now he is in a loving, caring home and has been named Nemo.
Rescued sinners have a wonderful, loving, caring home awaiting them in heaven. And one day very soon our Saviour Jesus Christ is going to take all the rescued sinners to His home in heaven to live with Him forever. Will you be included?
ML-10/31/2004