A peaceful looking canyon spread out below me, and as I stood there taking in the view, I was planning my next few days. Deep in Dakota country, my friend Doug and I had been given the job of checking on a band of wild bighorn sheep. We had to set up camp first so we would have shelter. Then we would prepare to spend a few days here.
This was a job I loved. It was thrilling to me to be out in God’s creation enjoying the beautiful world that He made for us to live in.
On the evening of our third day, a fierce storm whipped through our camp. As the sky turned dark, strong gusts of wind made us quickly take shelter in our tents. From my tent, I looked across camp and saw the top of Doug’s tent getting blown first one way and then the other. At times, the tent was blown so far over that I could see the shape of Doug’s head in the canvas. Then rain began to beat down on us.
This is probably the worst storm I’ve seen for a while, I thought. I certainly have a powerful Creator. I wonder what Doug thinks of this. I had told my friend about how God had sent His Son Jesus down here as a man to die for our sins, but Doug was never interested in the subject.
Over the sound of heavy rain beating on the tent, I became aware of a new sound.
It was the sound of rocks breaking away and falling from the canyon walls directly above us! Doug heard it too. Both of us ran out of our tents and into a wind shelter that we had set up. We both knew a rock slide could bury us alive! I looked over at my friend who was known for his fearlessness.
Nervously, Doug asked, “You know what that is, don’t you?” Then he looked at me curiously. “You’re not scared, are you?”
“If this rock slide takes my life, I know where I’m going,” I told him. I really thought I had only a few more minutes to live. But I knew that because I had trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, who had died to save me from my sins, if I didn’t live, I would be in heaven. I knew this because I believed God’s promises.
“I will go to heaven, Doug. If you ask Jesus to take away your sins, you’ll be there with me.” I knew time might be short, but I also knew that it only took a moment to call on the Lord Jesus for salvation from our sins.
Doug just looked at me and went back to his own tent.
The rumblings increased as more and more rocks gave way and began to crash down the mountain. On the ledge where we were camped, there was no safe place to go, so I just stayed where I was and prayed for Doug. I expected that both of us would soon enter eternity. I knew my eternity would be in heaven with Jesus, but I feared Doug would be in hell ... lost for eternity.
The sound of falling rocks grew louder as the rocks came closer. Heavy rain pounded down on the canyon. And then, suddenly, it was quiet. The rain had stopped, and the rocks had completely bypassed the ledge where we were camped!
I have no doubt that God Himself protected us with His hand in that storm. And something even more exciting than being given more time to live happened. After the storm, Doug turned to Jesus for the salvation He lovingly offers.
The Maker of this beautiful world loves you, too, and offers you salvation from your sins. Will you accept His offer today or do you plan to wait until you are face to face with death, like we were? Don’t wait — you may not have the chance to believe on the Lord Jesus as your Savior again. Often there is no warning of death. And so the Bible warns us, “Today, if [you] will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:77Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)). It also says, “Boast not [yourself] of tomorrow; for [you know] not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)). Salvation is not hard to have. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and [you will] be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). He did all the work to save us. Now He offers salvation to us freely. Have you taken His free gift?
Messages of God’s Love 8/3/2025