“HELP! HELP!” the boys called as loudly as they could. “GET US OUT OF HERE — WE’RE SINKING! HELP! HELP!”
Carl and Bruce were in trouble. Returning home from a friend’s home before dark, they had crossed an empty lot. Many children used the lot as a playground. Over the years many hours had been spent hiding, chasing, climbing trees and inventing other games to play.
“I can jump farther than you can,” Bruce had challenged.
“That’s what you think!” answered Carl. “Let’s both run together and jump when we get to the tree.”
They both ran as fast as they could, and when they reached the tree they both jumped. Bruce was taller, but that didn’t make any difference because they both landed together. That’s when their proems started.
As they both landed, the ground gave way under them. They didn’t know it, but they had landed on an old abandoned well. Years before it had been filled in with cans and trash which over a span of time had rusted. The force of the boys’ jump had caused the spot to collapse and sink.
“Hey, Bruce, what’s happening? We’re sinking!” shouted Carl with fear in his voice.
It had happened so quickly, and then suddenly it was dark. The boys realized that they had fallen into a hole.
“Let’s try to climb up the sides,” suggested Carl. But try as they might they couldn’t get out. Everything they touched just fell in. There was nothing to hold onto or step on. They just kept slipping back down and sinking a little deeper.
“What should we do?” asked Bruce.
“Call for help, I guess,” answered Carl. “Maybe someone living near here will hear us.” So they began to call for help.
Have you thought about calling for help? “Why do I need help?” you may ask. Each of us needs help since the Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). We cannot come into God’s presence with our sins since He hates sin. Our sins must be gone before God can accept us into heaven. So the help we need is getting rid of our sins.
Sin must be punished, and for sinners that punishment is in the lake of fire forever. Yet there is a way to get rid of our sins. God has given us a substitute to bear our punishment. He is satisfied with this substitute. It is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
On the cross the Lord Jesus was punished for the sins of all who would accept Him as their Saviour. All that is left for us to do is just to believe it by accepting Him as our Saviour. It was His blood shed there that can wash away all our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
“SOMEBODY HELP US!” the boys called again.
Living near the empty lot, Leatha and her mother were sitting in their sun-room reading.
“What was that?” asked Leatha.
“It sounds like someone calling for help,” answered her mother. Getting up she said, “We’d better go see!”
The boys’ frantic calls for help led Leatha and her mother right to the sinkhole. They were surprised at the deep hole and realized they couldn’t get the boys out by themselves. So Leatha stayed and talked to the boys while her mother ran home to get her husband. He brought a long rope and was able to pull the boys out. Neither of the boys was hurt, only scared. Within days the abandoned well was filled with sand and rock so no one else would fall in again.
The boys were rescued because they called for help. They didn’t want to spend any more time in that sinkhole than they had to. They also knew that they couldn’t get out by themselves. They needed someone else to help them, and were not ashamed to call for help.
Are you afraid or ashamed to ask the Lord Jesus to save you? Are you worried about what your friends might think? Don’t let that keep you from asking the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour. Bruce and Carl could only be rescued because they called for help. This let others know about their need, and they gladly accepted the help that was given.
God knows all about you. He knows that you are a helpless sinner, and He loves you and wants to rescue you. He is offering you salvation which can be yours by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. The substitute God offers will do you no good until you take it. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6). Don’t refuse His offer to rescue you. He loves you and wants you with Him in heaven for all eternity.
ML-08/04/1985