Eleven-year-old Bryan was enjoying a Sunday afternoon walk with his uncle along a beautiful lakeshore. They stopped for a few moments to watch the gentle ripples on the surface of the water, when suddenly they noticed something that did not belong in the water—a baby bird. It wasn’t a duckling or a young sea gull that has webbed feet for swimming; it was a tiny sparrow fluttering in the water, and it was in trouble!
Bryan felt sorry for the little bird and wanted to rescue it. After finding a long stick, he and his uncle stretched it way out into the water where it could reach the baby sparrow.
At first the tiny bird grabbed onto the stick. But when it was being lifted out of the water, the frightened bird fell off. Bryan didn’t want to give up, so they tried again. Once more the little bird hung on for a short time, but again it let go of the stick before it reached the shore. So they tried again ... and again ... and again. Each time it would get a little closer to the shore, but then it would let go and fall back into the water.
That stick just wasn’t doing the job. It was probably slippery from being wet, and the little sparrow’s feet just couldn’t hang on. Do you think a fisherman’s net might have been the answer? You could just scoop up the baby bird and then gently lift it out of the water and set it down on the shore. However, Bryan and his uncle didn’t have a fisherman’s net.
You and I have a problem even more serious than the sparrow’s—we are drowning in our sins! We know God hates sin, and our sins will keep us out of heaven. What can we do?
God knows we each have a sin problem, and because He loves us so much, He has provided a “fisherman’s net” to save us. He sent His beloved Son Christ Jesus into this world of sin to bear the punishment you and I deserve for our sins. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). He died on the cross, was buried in a grave, and then God His Father raised Him from the dead. Right now He is sitting beside His Father in heaven, waiting to cleanse you from every one of your sins. The Lord Jesus is our “fisherman’s net”!
But since Bryan and his uncle didn’t have a fisherman’s net, they continued to try to pull the baby sparrow toward shore, and each time the sparrow continued to let go of the stick and fall back into the water. Finally the bird was close enough so that Bryan’s uncle could reach out with his hands and lift the little bird out of the water. Sadly, it was too late. The baby sparrow had been in the water too long, and it drowned just before it reached safety.
Would the little bird have been saved if it had continued to hang onto the stick? Yes. That was the only hope for its safety. And the Lord Jesus is our only hope for safety from drowning in 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)). And here is His promise: “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:1212For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12)).
Will you accept the Lord Jesus as your “safety net” and Saviour today?
ML-11/17/2013