Bad news! After a long hot summer with very little rain, the radio crackled its report: “Forest fire near Chalk River, Ontario!”
Mr. Clookie wasted no time. In two minutes he had his truck loaded with spades and flamethrowers and 20 young men from the forestry station. They roared down the highway in the direction of the thin column of smoke.
They might have included a jug of drinking water, but Mr. Clookie was not very careful of his men. As they rounded a corner, all the equipment slid one way, and on the next corner, it all slid the other way. His men jumped nimbly from side to side to save their bones, while he stepped on the gas.
The column of smoke spread into an ugly gray wall before them, colored with leaping flames. When the truck stopped, the men went instantly to work. Using flamethrowers to start a long, new line of fire, they beat their fire toward the oncoming flames, in hopes that the two fires would meet and burn each other out for lack of fuel.
It was an excellent plan. BUT IT DIDN’T WORK!
The oncoming flames leaped over the burned-out area where they were working, trapping the 20 men in a ring of fire and blinding smoke with no exit in sight. Mr. Clookie quickly moved the truck to a safe distance.
You have never been in such a position, have you? Be careful! You are in such a position right now if you are a sinner still in your sins, because “our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:2929For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29). Do stop and think of this before you read any more of this story.
For the trapped men, there was one way of escape, and only one. One of the men found that the ring of fire was not closed in one spot only. He didn’t need a second invitation; he quickly stepped out to safety.
What next? He stood there and shouted, “THIS WAY! . . . THIS WAY!” with every ounce of strength he had. And as he coughed and shouted and coughed and shouted, one by one the men followed him to safety. Then each joined his coughing shouts to those still trapped, until 19 voices shouted the good news, and the 20th man came safely through that one way of escape. The fire burned on but the men were saved, all of them.
Are you listening? Do you hear our call, telling you that we know the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life? There is no one to save you but Jesus. There is no other way but Him. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh 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). Why not come to Him now?
There was no jug of water for those tired, thirsty men to drink from, but they were too thirsty to care. They lay down flat on their stomachs and drank from a pool of standing water nearby. Thankfully, nobody got sick.
If you are saved from God’s judgment against your sins through the precious blood of His only Son who died for you, then we have more good news. He knows that our hearts thirst to know more about that One who gave up His life for us, and He has promised, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14). Nothing else will take away that thirst. God’s Word is always true, and we who are drinking of His living water are proving that His promise is true. He gives everlasting life, now and forever. “The water that I shall give Him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14).
ML-08/07/1994