A tall chimney had been completed and the scaffolding was being removed. One man remained on the top to superintend the process. A rope should have been left for him to descend by, but somehow had been forgotten.
The wife of the man remaining on top of the chimney was at home washing. Suddenly her young son burst in with: "Mother, mother, they've forgotten the rope! Daddy's going to throw himself down!”
She paused. Her lips moved in the agony of silent prayer as she rushed forth to the new chimney. A crowd was looking up at the lone man. He was moving cautiously along the narrow cornice, terrified and bewildered. It seemed that at any moment he might fall. Would he throw himself down in despair?
His wife from below cried out: "Wait, John!" The man became calm, and again she cried: "Take off your stockings; unravel the wool." And he did so.
"Now tie to the end a bit of mortar, and lower gently.”
Down came the thread weighted by the bit of mortar. Lower and lower it descended, eagerly watched by many eyes. Now it was in reach, and was gently seized by one of the crowd. Quickly he fastened some twine to the thread.
"Now, pull up." The man got hold of the twine. The rope was now fastened on. "Pull away again." He at length seized the rope, and made it secure.
There were a few moments of suspense as he slid down. Then amidst the shouts of the crowd, he threw himself into the arms of his wife, sobbing: "You saved me, Mary!" The wool thread had not been despised: It had drawn after it the twine, the rope, and the rescue.
Ah, my friend, you may be sunk very low down in sin and woe; but there is a thread of divine love waiting for you to grasp. It comes from the throne of heaven and reaches even to you. Seize that thread. It may be small, but it is golden. "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed." Matt. 17:2020And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:20).
That cord of love, if you will take it, will lift you from sin's depth up to God and glory eternal.