“We were … swimming and playing in the water not far from a fishing pier.  Somehow, I was pulled into a riptide and quickly pulled out toward the Gulf.  The shore quickly grew distant and my subpar swimming abilities were tellingly useless.  A couple of fishermen told me I was caught in it, and my best hope was to try and move parallel to the waves and angle for a point about a half-mile up from where I was.  That was a painfully slow process, and the water kept taking me where it wished.  I was on the other side of the pier, moving generally toward that point but still in the grips of the tide, when Dale [another of Neal’s sons] swam out and helped pull me out of the current until I could finally get to shallower water and make my way back onto the beach.  At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I believe Dale saved my life.” *

Neal’s perilous condition while caught in the riptide pictures our condition due to sin.  Because of our wrong choices, we are “caught up” and “entrapped” in our sin and doomed.  Unless we receive some outside help, we will die (Romans 6:23).

James Rowe, in the lyrics of the song “Love Lifted Me,” wrote from a similar vantage point as Neal’s while also pointing to the One who can save us from sin:

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more.
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.”

“Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me!”

When we were drowning because of our sins, God sent His one and only Son to rescue us (John 3:16).  Jesus had to die on the cross in order to save us, but His death paid the price for our sins and provided salvation and eternal life for us (Ephesians 1:7).

In order to receive His salvation and the gift of eternal life, we must “take His hand” through our trusting obedience: placing our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).  Praising God for salvation in Christ, James Lowe also wrote:

“All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling.
In His blessèd presence live, ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.”

In the third and final verse of the song, Lowe makes an appeal to all who are caught in the “riptide” of sin:

“Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.”

Won’t YOU “look above” and accept the Lord’s offer of salvation through your trusting obedience?

-- David A. Sargent