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Deeper
than Any Ocean
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 he would 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 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 body was never
recovered." By this time, the two teenagers were sitting
straighter in the pew, 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.
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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 a nice
story," politely started one of the boys, "but I don't
think it was very realistic 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 realistic, is it? But I'm standing here
today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it
must have been like for God to give up His Son for me. You see
"I was the son's friend."
Unknown Author
"For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son; that
whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have
everlasting life.'" - John 3:16
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