A TERRIBLE storm was raging at the mouth of Cape Town harbor, and anxious watchers awaited the arrival of the ship “S. S. Dun-vegan Castle.” Would she gain the harbor in safety? Already she was at the entrance and was almost in calm water when she collided with the pier. It seemed that great damage had been done, not only to the ship, but also to the pier, for big blocks of masonry had been dislodged.
When the storm was over, the amount of damage had to be discovered, and a diver was sent down. John Palmer, strong, resourceful and successful, appeared in his diving suit, ready to make the descent. His final instructions were to Tom, the man above him, to be on the lookout for any signal he might make from below.
The sea was calm, and Palmer easily discovered the damage done to the ship. But suddenly something darted out from a crevice in the rocks, and gripped his arm as in a vise. In a moment of appalling horror, Palmer realized that he was in the grip of an octopus! Soon another tentacle was flashed around his chest, and he was held in a deadly embrace.
Palmer was now helpless, held in a vise of iron. What could he do? Absolutely unable to deliver himself, he knew that one chance alone was his, and that was to get HELP FROM ABOVE!
Dear reader, if you are held captive by sin, get HELP FROM ABOVE. Only the Lord Jesus above can save you and break you free from sin’s deadly power. If you have never come to the Lord Jesus in all your sins and taken Him as your Saviour, you have no more power to deliver yourself than Palmer had. Signal to the One above, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will deliver you. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:2121And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21).
Yes. UP THERE lay Palmer’s only hope. With all the energy he could gather, he pulled the signal. Palmer found that he was rising, for the man above was pulling him up. But his enemy, the octopus, was rising with him! Still there was hope, for help was coming from above. Up, up he went, and at last the glad light of day shone on his dripping helmet. The surface of the water was reached.
“Man alive! Whatever is this?” exclaimed Tom. He grabbed an ax and a knife, and began to hack away at the octopus. It was no easy task, as the tentacles were lined with hundreds of tiny suckers. But at last Palmer was a free man. Once, “tied and bound,” once in the depths, he now stood free and unshackled in God’s bright sunshine. How happy he was!
Jesus is able and willing to save all who come to Him. “He sent from above, He took me: He drew me out of many waters.” 2 Samuel 22:1717He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; (2 Samuel 22:17).
ML-01/10/1971