About 100 years ago, Ed Spencer was a student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He was a well-known athlete in that day and had won one of the first Olympic gold medals for the U.S.A. in 1896.
One evening while Ed and others were studying in the library, a violent storm was raging outside. The campus of Northwestern University borders Lake Michigan, and it is well-known that storms on the Great Lakes can be quite violent. Even large boats have gone down in storms that often compare to those on the oceans.
Suddenly some young men burst into the library to report that a large pleasure boat called The Lady Elgin had been driven onto the rocks and was sinking. There were many people on the boat who would drown unless something were done immediately.
Ed and others ran from the library to see what was happening and were soon convinced by what they saw that the situation was serious. The boat was indeed sinking. While the storm had calmed somewhat, the water was still rough and the waves high. Without any hesitation, Ed immediately dove into the water and swam out to the wreck. Using his athletic strength and stamina, Ed brought back one person to safety. Several more times he returned to the ship, and each time he brought someone else back safely.
By this time his friends on shore were concerned for Ed’s safety and urged him not to go out again. “You’ve done all you can,” they said. “You’ll kill yourself if you try it again!”
Ed’s only reply was, “I’ve got to do my best,” as he plunged into the water and swam out to the wreck once more. All in all, he rescued 17 people from that boat who would otherwise have drowned. After bringing in the seventeenth person, Ed himself could go on no longer. He slumped unconscious on the shore.
He was taken to the infirmary in the university and throughout the night remained delirious. Over and over again he would call out, “Have I done my best, fellows? Have I done my best?” Ed did recover, but the strenuous exertion of saving 17 people from Lake Michigan had cost him his health. He no longer was the athlete he was before, and he no longer won gold medals for his strength. In fact, he was forced to live the life of a semi-invalid.
We are saddened by this story, and our deepest feelings of sympathy are stirred for Ed who gave so much to rescue so many people. He could easily have stopped sooner and no doubt have kept his health, but he continued until he became unconscious. But there is someone else who gave much more of Himself so that you and I might be saved from eternal punishment for our sins. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners before God and deserve eternal judgment for our sins. Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) tells us, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) warns us, “The wages of sin is death.” But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,” and the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and died on Calvary’s cross so that all who believe on Him “should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). Ed Spencer gave his health to save people from drowning, but the Lord Jesus gave His life so that we might be saved from eternal hell. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour?
It is not recorded that anyone on that sinking ship refused to let Ed Spencer rescue them. No, it was their only means of rescue, and they allowed him to take them safely to shore. But how many today are saying “no” to the Lord Jesus and refusing to let Him save them from their sins. How many don’t believe there is judgment coming, although God has faithfully warned us in the Bible that He will judge this world. Are your sins washed away by the blood of the Lord Jesus so that you are safe from that judgment? He is your only hope.
Some years later, a man went to Phoenix, Arizona, in the western United States, as he had heard that Ed Spencer was living there. He decided to visit him. Ed was living in a small cottage on the edge of the city, and the visitor found him to be thin and sickly. During their conversation, the visitor remarked on Ed’s health and his small home and how much rescuing those 17 people had cost him. He suggested that, had Ed been able to keep his health, he might have had much more in this world and, no doubt, a much nicer home. “But despite all this,” he said to Ed, “I’m sure that those you rescued haven’t forgotten you. No doubt they send you some help from time to time.”
There was a long moment of silence, and the visitor looked over at Ed to see why he did not answer. He noticed that there were tears running down Ed’s face, and slowly, after several minutes, Ed replied, “Not one ever came back even to say thank you!”
Again our feelings are stirred, feelings of extreme sorrow, that those whose lives had been saved at such a cost to the rescuer did not even care enough to say “thank you.” Sad to say, such things are all too common in this world. But have you and I ever thanked the Lord Jesus for all He has done for us? First of all, have you accepted Him as your Saviour? Have you come to God as a sinner, and accepted His free offer of salvation? If so, have you ever thanked God for sending His Son to die for you, and have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for dying such a cruel death so that you might be saved? “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:1515Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)).
ML-05/16/1999