Philippe and Gary were really happy with their morning’s catch of fish on New Brunswick’s Bay of Chaleur. They had caught 150 shiny, silvery smelts, which was much better than they expected. Smelts are bony, little fish, but they are a great favorite for eating in that area.
Fishing in northern Canada does not stop when cold weather comes. Eager fishermen begin “ice fishing.” The ice in the cove was nineteen inches thick, so Gary and Philippe had simply chopped a hole through the ice and dropped in their fishing lines. Time after time, they pulled up their lines and found they had caught more smelts. Philippe was looking forward to a delicious supper of fried fish.
Their happy thoughts of the good catch were interrupted as two other fishermen came over to them. These two men had just noticed that the ice in the cove had broken away from the shoreline! They had quickly searched for some other way to cross back to the shore but were alarmed to discover that they were now on a large ice floe, and it was drifting steadily away from land.
The four men knew they were in serious trouble. Philippe thought about jumping into the water and swimming back to shore. But the water was bitterly cold, so he soon gave up on that idea. The ice, which had seemed to be such a safe and secure place to fish, had suddenly made the men fearful, even though it was nineteen inches thick.
The Bible tells us about a rock that will be a safe and secure place forever. King David stood on that “rock.” He said in Psalm 40:1212For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. (Psalm 40:12), “The Lord . . . set my feet upon a rock.” He is telling us that the Lord had taken away his sins, and now he was ready for heaven. He also said, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:22The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)). King David was trusting in the Lord completely, and he felt safe and secure.
Are you standing on that same “rock” for a safe and secure place when life here on earth is over? If not, you must be hoping that a good, clean life of helping others and being kind will be enough to earn you a place in heaven. But God says that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). They are worthless! The only way to be sure of a place in heaven is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, by believing that He died for your sins. If you have believed on Him and what He did for you on the cross, then you are safe and secure on that “rock.”
The four fishermen knew they were not safe and secure; they could see that they were drifting farther away from shore. But the cars they could see traveling along a road near the shoreline gave them some hope, so they began to call for help. They waved their arms in a frantic effort to attract attention. They shouted for help at the top of their voices. Some cars did slow down, but then went on. Finally, one car stopped, but then it also left.
Ninety minutes passed, and snow began to fall. It turned everything into whiteness, and all they could see was the snow-filled air and the ice under their feet. They could no longer see land. Gary realized they were in serious danger, and he said he thought about the fact that he might die. If his life came to an end . . . then what?
This is a question we all need to think about. Only those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ will go to be with Him in that wonderful place called heaven. But do you belong to Him? Your answer will be yes if you have accepted Him as your very own Saviour.
Although the four stranded men did not know it at the time, the driver of the car that had stopped rushed to a nearby house and made a 911 phone call. A rescue operation was quickly started.
By this time, the ice floe was half a mile off shore and heading towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But rescue workers launched a Zodiak boat and used a big tool to hook onto the ice. They managed to reach the trapped men who were cold and fearful and soon had them back on solid ground.
It took the help of others to return the four fishermen to the safety and security of the shore. And the Lord Jesus is the only one who can give you the safety and security of a home in heaven. Are you standing on that “rock” that is safe and secure?
ML-06/27/2004