Saved At Sea
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once
again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief
introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped
up to the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son
were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching
storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high,
that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep
the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two
teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking
somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue
line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his
life.... to which boy would he throw the other end of the line. He only
had seconds to make the decision.
The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his
son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by even
the torrent of waves. "As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he
threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend
back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging
swells into the black of night. His son's body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were listening very attentively,
waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth. "The
father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with
Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping
into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. Oh, how
great is the love of God that He should do the same for us!"
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence
filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers
were at the old man's side. "That was an awesome story," said one of the
boys, "but I don't think it was very logical for a father to give up
his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at
his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once
again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very logical, is
it? But I'm here today to tell you the fact THAT story gives me a
glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me."
"You see, boys.... I was the son's friend."
[ Author Unknown -- from Randy Walker -- Ed:Anon. ]
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