|
A Long Journey
Every
year in Alaska, a 1,000-mile dogsled race commemorates
an original "race"
run to save lives. In January of 1926, six-year-old
Richard Stanley showed symptoms
of diphtheria, signaling the possibility of an
outbreak in the small town of Nome.
When the boy passed away a day later, Dr. Curtis Welch
began immunizing children and adults with an
experimental but effective antidiptheria serum. But it
wasn't long before Dr. Welch's supply ran out, and the
nearest serum was in Nenana, Alaska --
a 1,000 miles of frozen wilderness away.
Amazingly,
a group of trappers and prospectors volunteered to
cover the distance
with their dog teams! Operating in relays from trading
post to trapping station and beyond, one sled started
out from Nome while another, carrying the serum,
started from Nenana. Oblivious to frostbite, fatigue,
and exhaustion, the teamsters mushed relentlessly
until, after 144 hours in minus 50-degree winds, the
serum was delivered to Nome. As a result, only one
other life was lost to the potential epidemic. Their
sacrifice had given an entire town the gift of life. *
What
a marvelous display of bravery and compassion!
Yet
there is ANOTHER journey that has been made that
traversed a much greater distance to provide a
solution for a much greater malady…
The
malady is SIN. It
is a UNIVERSAL problem (Romans 3:23) and extremely
FATAL (Romans 6:23).
Yet because of His great love for mankind, God
sent His Son from heaven to the world as a man (John
3:16; 1:14). THAT
journey would lead Jesus to a CROSS, where He DIED to
pay the price for the sins of the world...
(Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 2:2).
Because Jesus took that journey, YOU and I can
have our sins washed away by His BLOOD the only
“serum” that can combat our grave condition.
To
come in contact with His cleansing BLOOD, one must: believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31) turn from sin in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). Then
one is continually cleansed by His blood as he/she
continues to walk in the light of His Word (1 John
1:7).
Because
Jesus took that long, painful journey, you and I can
find life! Has
His cleansing, life-giving blood been applied to YOUR
life?
God bless you!
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Daniel Gaines
To
Subscribe to "Living Water"
send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net
TEXT version: subscribe-livingwater-text@lyris.dundee.net
Follow
this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com
Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website
at: www.creekwoodcc.org
|
