Drops of cold, icy water dripped off the roof of the cave onto Floyd Collins. He was trapped in a cave 50 feet below the surface of the ground. Outside the sun shone brightly as rescuers dug desperately to tunnel down to him. Inside Sand Cave the only sounds that Floyd could hear were the dripping of water and the cold wind that blew through the black tunnels where there had never been any sunlight.
The day before Floyd had inched his way through an 18-inch opening in one of the tunnels of Sand Cave. He was looking for an inner cave a huge, domed cathedral of rock he had heard about.
Floyd moved through the narrow tunnel slowly and cautiously. He was an experienced cave explorer who had spent most of his boyhood and adult life exploring caves and caverns beneath the surface of the earth. As he squirmed through the small opening, he saw above him an enormous boulder, held in place by one small rock. He moved past the boulder, being careful not to bump the supporting rock.
He crawled from the tunnel and suddenly saw it the cave of his dreams! He had come into a vast, inner chamber many feet below the surface. Stalactites, which came down from the ceiling, and stalagmites, which came up from the floor, were everywhere. Some were joined in immense, glittering columns. The ceiling was a hundred feet high; the length and width were larger than he could estimate. He knew that at last he had found the cave he had been searching for.
Full of excitement, and anxious to tell others what he had found, Floyd began the return trip to the surface. Once again he wedged himself into the narrow opening of the tunnel, moving along on his knees and elbows. Then it happened!
In his excitement he had not moved carefully enough past the huge boulder. His foot brushed against the small rock that held it in place. The boulder shifted just a few inches, but it was enough to crush down on Floyd’s left ankle, pinning him there.
He twisted about frantically, pulling his leg up, trying to twist his ankle free. The huge boulder was immovable! Scraping moisture from the walls, he tried to wet his ankle. He hoped this would allow him to slip it out from under the terrible weight that pressed it down. It didn’t work. He grasped his left knee with both hands and tugged until he was sure his ankle was coming apart. It was no use. He was caught held captive in the deep earth he loved to explore! He lay back panting with the searing pain in his foot and tried to keep calm.
Floyd Collins was powerless. He had seen the danger, but thought he could avoid it. His search for something special had urged him on, but now he was trapped.
Many people have been warned about the dangers of sin, but they are not paying attention to the warnings. They continue to enjoy the “pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:2525Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (Hebrews 11:25)), ignoring the warnings of God’s Word. The Bible warns us of punishment to come if we continue in sin. It tells us that the only hope for a sinner is the Lord Jesus Christ. His death on the cross was for those who would believe on Him. Knowing that we are sinners, we can turn to the work that the Lord Jesus Christ has already done for us. There on the cross He was punished for our sins. He had committed no sin Himself and was the only perfect man, but He took the punishment for the sins of any who will accept Him as Saviour. He is the only way of escape. Do not ignore the warnings turn back! Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour and know that your sins are washed away in His precious blood. “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).
As the hours passed, Floyd waited to be rescued. He knew that he would be missed and that rescuers would be searching for him.
Floyd kept thinking about what must be going on outside of Sand Cave. There was much activity. Earth-moving equipment, rescuers and many other emergency people had been called to the cave by Floyd’s brother. Three experienced cave-exploring teams were formed. Each team was to enter one of the three entrances to Sand Cave.
Inside the cave Floyd was beginning to feel panicky. He was cold from the continuously dripping water. His body and face were covered with sand and small rocks that had been loosened by his twisting and turning. As he lay there he could only hope, think and pray that help would come soon. It had to come!
Then he heard a scraping noise and voices. He saw a light. It was his brother and those with his rescue team. Floyd yelled frantically to them, begging them to hurry. They squeezed into the narrow tunnel and tried to move the boulder off Floyd’s ankle. It was impossible to move! Excited, tense, hungry and yet filled with hope, Floyd begged them to get more help and equipment and to bring him food. They left their lamp with Floyd and crawled out quickly to get more help.
Even though Floyd had been found, he still was not rescued. Teams of workers began digging another tunnel beside the one that he was in. They planned to dig a connecting shaft to the tunnel where he was trapped.
For 48 hours the men dug as fast as they could, but problems continued to hinder them. The tunnel would collapse after heavy rain. Often the sand walls would collapse as fast as they were dug. Each foot of the new tunnel had to be supported before they could go on.
Meanwhile, Floyd’s physical and mental condition were getting worse. The tunnel in which he was trapped had collapsed, cutting off the contact he had with those who were trying to reach him. They worked to reestablish contact, but the rain was causing problems in this tunnel also.
It was several days before the rescuers were able to reach Floyd again. When they did reach him, they found him dead! He had died of exposure and exhaustion.
The rescue of Floyd Collins had failed. Although many hundreds of people worked to save him, their efforts were of no use.
The rescue of a sinner is hopeless by any way other than by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only by His death on the cross, where He suffered for sins, that we can be rescued. The Bible tells us that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12). This is the only hope for sinners. This is the only way to escape the punishment that each one of us deserves. We are all sinners, and we need a Saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ is that Saviour. Won’t you accept Him as your very own Saviour today?
ML-11/29/1992