Saved!

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 5
 
Only a few people were astir on the beach, enjoying the fresh, cool morning hours. Had there been any watchers, they might have seen a strong swimmer strike out boldly to sea. Every stroke told, and put the shore at a greater distance from him.
He was in the very prime of manhood and he never thought of danger. On he swam, further and further out. At last, a little wearied, he rested for a moment, and thought of returning. As he headed back he found he had been carried far beyond his intentions. He struck out for land; but now the current was against him. His utmost efforts made little headway. Still he struggled on, until he was utterly exhausted. The beach was beyond his line of vision and the pull of the undertow was irresistible. As his strokes grew feebler, the realization of his serious plight struck home. What could help? In despair he turned on his back, and gave himself up for lost.
This man had been religiously brought up; yes, more: he was the pastor of a large congregation. He had lived an exemplary life and till this moment he had been on good terms with himself. Now he was face to face with death, and in his soul he knew he had no hope of eternity with Christ. He was not ready to die! One thing was lacking: he had no link with the Savior!
Horror seized him. The waves seemed to be roaring in his ears again and again: "When I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Cor. 9:27.
He found that he had preached a Christ he had never known. He had told others of a salvation still foreign to himself! His life with its outward religious ceremonies he now loathed as mockery. All the forms and rites he had performed so conscientiously he saw now at their true value—"dead works"—Hebrews 9:14. As his mind tried to accept the physical death just ahead, his whole being cried out against the further issue: "and after this, the judgment." In either case he knew he could not help himself. All the work of rescue and salvation must be done for him-done by another.
Oh, it was not concerning his body but for his soul that he agonized there on the mighty deep. There alone with God, on the waves, a desperate cry ascended: "Lord, save me, or I perish!"
As the plea arose, the answer came: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Into his heart came the assurance, as he accepted those blessed promises, that Christ's work on the cross was for him. That precious blood was shed for him. Life and peace came to his soul—then unconsciousness.
"Father! Father! Look ahead! What is that on the water? It looks like—it is a man!"
This was the cry of the son of the skipper of a fishing smack. The father looked. He sprang to the oar, calling out, "Row, men, row for very life."
The men rowed, putting forth all their energies.
The skipper saw the body sink once and rise again nearer to the boat. It sank a second time. This time it might rise close to them if they made a desperate effort. "Bend to your oars for one last pull."
And it did rise within reach. Strong arms brought the apparently lifeless body into the boat. Quickly they used every means in their power to restore animation. At last, when willing hands carried him ashore, he was again a living, breathing man and not a corpse. Most blessed, he was living in two ways: possessing now not merely natural life, but eternal life. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." John 6:47. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life." 1 John 5:13.
Some days later, seated in that same fishing smack, he recounted what the Lord had done for his soul when death and judgment had threatened him. He spoke to his rescuers of Jesus the Savior; of the impossibility of our doing anything to save ourselves. He extolled the work of Calvary—that work that must all be done by God's only Son, spotless, pure and holy—or we must be forever lost. With deep feeling he read to them from God's Word: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)... not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephes. 2:5-8.
As they listened to these solemn words more than one of those fishermen turned to the Lord in repentance for their sins and accepted Him as their Savior.
Unsaved reader, receive Christ now and be forever sure of a blest eternity.
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:12.