From the Rubble
His
family had been told that there was no chance of
finding their missing boy alive. His body had not yet
been discovered after five days of searching in the
rubble of the building in which he had been working
when the earthquake struck eastern Turkey. The
building was one of about 2,000 that were leveled by
the quake, killing at last 573 people and injuring
approximately 2,500 others.
Thirteen-year-old Ferhat Tokay was working in a shoe
shop on the ground floor of the building in Ercis,
Turkey, when the 7.2 magnitude quake occurred. He was
instantly trapped, and despite his efforts was unable
to free himself.
But
soon after rescue workers had sent his uncle and other
relatives away to get some rest with no glimmer of
hope, they discovered Tokay – alive! The workers were
able to pull him from the rubble without injury.
A
state-run news agency reported that Tokay survived,
despite having no food, by drinking rainwater that
seeped through cracks in the wreckage around him.
While trapped, he was able to peer through a tiny gap
in the wreckage to see when it was day or night. He
and his family were unsure if he would ever see the
light of day again… But he was rescued! *
Tokay’s entrapment in the rubble
illustrates our own bondage to sin.
Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever
commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34; see also
Romans 6:16). In sin, we are ALL (Romans 3:23) under
its dominion
and doomed for
destruction (see Matthew 7:13-14). And, we
can’t dig our way out! We are trapped!
But JESUS came to our rescue!
By paying the price for our sins, He is able to pull
us from the wreckage and ruin of sin (Ephesians 1:7) –
IF we will accept His offer!
Jesus will save those who place their
faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31),
turn from their sins in
repentance (Acts 17:30-31),
confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are
baptized (immersed) in His name for the
forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Trapped in the rubble of sin? Don’t despair! Jesus
has come to rescue you! Accept His offer of
salvation, and you can be freed from sin.
Won’t
YOU?
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*
Information gleaned from “Turkey survivor emerges from
quake rubble” by Burhan Ozbilici and Suzan Fraser of
the Associated Press
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
