ALL morning Jack had been working in the hold of the ship, helping to load the cargo. The operation was going smoothly. Like clockwork, as the big crane overhead swung down a loaded trolley, an empty one came up to be reloaded. A fast worker and efficient, Jack kept pace with the incoming loads and looked forward to a quick end to the job.
Then disaster struck. Adjusting the rope around one of the empty trolleys, he gave the signal to Unknown to himself, he had caught his boot in a coil of the rope, and when the engine was started he found himself jerked from his footing and swung aloft to a height of forty feet.
The driver of the crane engine did not notice thing wrong until the trolley with its human freight had reached the jib-head. Then he panicked and stopped the engine.
The men below were horror-stricken as they gazed at him hanging head downwards beneath the heavy trolley. They realized that at any minute his boot might slip from the rope and the man come hurtling to the dock. But God was watching over him. The trolley was slowly lowered to the dock, and he was rescued from his perilous position.
Once released, Jack began calmly to go about his work once more. The men crowded around him. "Aren't you going home?" they asked, evidently thinking the shock would have completely unnerved him.
"No," he said, "I'm all right. I'm a Christian, and God has saved my life. You've heard me singing that hymn, 'He will hold me fast,' and He did hold me."
Later he described how the words of the hymn rang through his mind as he hung suspended in mid-air, and he knew that the One who had saved his soul could also keep him from sudden death. This calm assurance helped him to remain quiet until he was safe once more.
The Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep gives this promise concerning each of His own sheep: I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. (John 10:28, 2928And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:28‑29).)
How secure the sheep are between those two almighty hands! The Apostle Paul knew this, and so he could say with confidence: I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. (2 Tim. 1:1212For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12).)
It is because the Lord Jesus died on the cross for sinners that we may say, if we have trusted in Him: He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities; the chastisement of my peace was upon Him—and, if that is true, we may add: with His stripes [wounds] we are healed.
Have you ever put your trust in Him? If not, why not do so today? Then you will be able to know that your sins are forgiven for His name's sake, and you will also prove that He is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
Only a step to Jesus!
'Then why not take it now?
Come, and thy sin confessing,
To Him thy Savior bow.
Only a step to Jesus!
Believe, and thou shalt live;
Lovingly now Se 's waiting,
And ready to forgive.