Roger was a fine swimmer and diver. In fact he was a swimming instructor at college.
One night he could not sleep, so he decided to slip into the pool and have a swim, thinking the exercise might help him get to sleep.
“I did not put the lights on in the pool,” he said, “for I knew every inch of the place, and the roof was made of glass. The moon shone through, showing the shadow of my body on the wall at the other end, making a perfect cross. I cannot explain why I did not dive at the moment. As I stood looking at the shadow of the cross, I began to think about the cross of Christ and its meaning. I was not a Christian, but I found myself repeating the words of a hymn I had learned as a boy: He died that we might be forgiven, He died to do us good, That we might go at last to heaven, Saved by His precious blood.
“I cannot say how long I stood poised on the diving board, or why I did not dive. But I came down from the board and walked along to the steps that I knew led to the bottom of the pool and began to descend. I reached the bottom and my feet touched the cold, smooth floor of the pool. The night before, the caretaker had drained the pool dry, and I knew nothing about it. I realized then that had I dived, I would have dived to my death.
“By the mercy of God the cross on the wall saved me that night. I was so thankful to God for His mercy in sparing my life that I knelt on the cold bricks and asked the Lord Jesus to save my soul. I experienced a two-fold deliverance that night, for the Lord heard my cry and gave me the peace and joy of knowing that my sins were forgiven. I knew I was saved.”
Though a clean-living fellow, Roger was unprepared for eternity, and had he been killed, his soul would have gone to hell. But God in mercy spared him, and now he is on his way home to heaven. How is it with you, dear reader? Whither bound?
ML-10/15/1978