Yesterday we had the terrifying experience of our middle son getting caught in a strong riptide and being swept out to sea.
We're in Ft. Morgan, AL enjoying a condo with some great friends, Clif an Sarah Anderson, this week. We've enjoyed the beach despite the media scare of oil ridden beaches and waters. Luckily, where we are at we have the occasional tar ball on the beach, but the water is clear and the beach has been fine.
The boys in our group have enjoyed some great body surfing due to a recent tropical storm in the gulf. Yesterday, Caleb was body surfing with his buddy and doing just fine in the somewhat rougher waters. I took a phone call away from the beach area so I could hear better and when I was returning I saw a bobbing head of a child in rough surf and three men running into the water to get the kid who was obviously been taken out by strong currents. I quickly realized that the kid in question was my red-headed boy wonder. Clif got there just in time to grab him. I was right behind him and was experiencing the riptide that had sucked Caleb out. Clif threw Caleb to me and when he got his arms around my neck he held on like he had never before. Together we got back to the beach safely having experienced a pretty close call. Aside from being shaken up, Caleb was fine.
This morning I got up thinking about what if we didn't get to him in time...enough about that.
When we take matters into our own hands in sin, we are headed for certain destruction. Sin draws us in and before we know it when in over our heads and overwhelmed with peril. God sent His Son Jesus to be our rescuer from the riptide of our sin. By the cross, Jesus pulls us out carries us into the safety of His will. I hope that when Jesus comes to my daily rescue as I'm enticed to sin that I'll clutch to him like my son clutched me.
Lord, give me the eyes to see the warning signs of sin. Father, when I'm being pulled away help me to recognize the rescue your Son provides and give me the strength to clutch to Him.
