Kelly Duncan was an airline stewardess on the Air Florida 737 that crashed into the Potomac River on January 13. She was one of only six people that were able to climb out of the wrecked airplane. The rest of the crew and passengers were killed.
The water in which Kelly found herself was intensely, bitterly cold. She clung to the wreckage, but soon her fingers began losing their feeling and she could barely keep afloat.
Then she heard the helicopter. Here was hope! The police helicopter let down a safety ring on a rope to a man near Kelly. He was lifted up and carried 100 feet to shore. The on looking crowd cheered.
The helicopter returned to the wreckage and let down the safety ring again. It came to a balding man who gallantly passed it to a woman nearby. Soon she, too, was safely on shore.
Now the helicopter was back for a third try. The ring came again to the same balding man. Again, he unhesitatingly passed it to an exhausted-looking man nearby who climbed through the ring and then grabbed Kelly. Another woman grabbed the man's leg and all three were slowly towed toward shore. Halfway to shore the woman lost her grip and fell into the water.
They were only 20 feet from shore when the man lost his grip on Kelly. She fell among the ice floes where she could barely swim. After dropping the man on shore the helicopter returned to her with the safety ring. It was useless! She was too weak to hold on and the ring slipped out of her grasp. The helicopter left her and went back to save the other woman farther out in the water.
Firemen on the river bank heaved ropes to Kelly but to no avail. She was completely exhausted and too cold to hold onto anything. Kelly was completely helpless to save herself! What she needed was someone to jump in to save her and if help didn't come soon she would surely drown!
Each one of us is very much like Kelly. We find ourselves under the deadening influence of sin. Just as the cold made Kelly incapable of helping herself, we find ourselves completely helpless in our sins. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death." Romans 3:23; 6:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). We are helpless to save ourselves from sin and its terrible consequence. Like Kelly we need someone to come to us and lift us safely out of our sinful condition.
Among the onlookers was a good swimmer named Martin Skutnik. He saw the whole rescue attempt. "She had been in the water so long," he said. "When she let go of the rope she was out. She was going under... Something just hit me. I jumped in." Martin dived between the ice floes right to Kelly's side as she started to sink. It wasn't long before he had dragged her to safety. Soon she was taken to a hospital where her injuries and shock were cared for.
Just as Martin came to Kelly in her need, so the Lord Jesus came right down into this world to lift us out of our sinful condition. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). As Kelly was completely helpless, so are we. As she needed someone to save her, so do we. "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).