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Alive
and Well
On
July 31, 1976, Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon
experienced one of the most deadly flash floods in
American History.
144 people were believed to have perished in
the flood. That
number is now 143 after Darrell Johnson, one of five
assumed victims whose bodies were never found, was
found alive and well...
Johnson
was believed to be staying in a small cabin in the Big
Thompson Canyon when the flash floods washed away the
cabin and 417 other homes. Even though his body was
never found, Johnson was counted among the dead.
Recently,
however, as plans were being formulated for a memorial
plaque to commemorate the names of all of the victims,
residents of the Canyon tried to locate the victims
who were still unaccounted for so they didn't list any
survivors among the dead. That's when they found
Darrell Johnson ALIVE and well in Oklahoma. The
63-year-old Johnson told a news reporter that he
didn’t know he had been counted among the 144
victims until one of the residents called him last
year.
Johnson
and his family had indeed rented a cabin in the Canyon
just prior to the flood.
But because they found the condition of the
cabin unsatisfactory, they left the cabin after just
one night. In
just a few hours after their departure, the resort –
including the shabby cabin – was washed away. *
Although
many may not recognize it, each of us is considered
“DEAD”
due
to our sin. The
Apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Ephesus: “you
were dead in your transgressions and sins”
(Ephesians 2:1).
Sin is deadly because it separates us from God
(Isaiah 59:1-2) and dooms the sinner to the “SECOND
DEATH” (Revelation 21:8).
It
is God’s will, however, that we recognize our
deplorable condition due to sin and – like the
Prodigal Son, desire to leave it!
(Luke 15:11-32)
Because
of His GREAT love for us, God has provided a Way out
of sin and its condemnation of death.
He has extended His grace to us through the
gift of His Son (Ephesians 2:4-9).
Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross
(Ephesians 1:7).
Although
we are DEAD
in our transgressions and sins, God can make us ALIVE
through Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
God
will raise us up to walk in newness of life when we:
believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31),turn from our sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; Romans
6:3-4).
We
are DEAD in sin, but we can be found alive
and well in Christ!
Are
YOU in Christ?
--
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Information gleaned
from Associated Press and GroundReport.com
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