What started out as fun nearly ended tragically.

Ignoring warning signs, an 11-year-old boy wandered out onto a frozen retention pond last Sunday in Napierville, Illinois, unaware that the ice was too thin.  The ice broke beneath him and he sank into the frigid water.  He was freezing, stranded, and surrounded by ice.  Thankfully, someone saw him and called 911.  Within four minutes, rescuers from the Napierville Fire and Police Departments arrived.

Naperville police Sgt. Brad Marsh threw a safety ring to the boy to keep him afloat.  Marsh and other responders began pulling the boy to shore as Firefighter Mike Leston, wearing an insulated buoyancy suit, swam out to him.  The rescuers knew that given the temperature and conditions that seconds mattered.

Within four minutes of arriving on the scene, the first-responders pulled the boy from the icy water.  He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and is expected to be okay.

What starts out as fun is always deadly when it comes to sin (see James 1:13-15).  As “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we are all “on thin ice” and destined for destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

But at just the right time, Someone came to our rescue.  That Someone was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus “gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4 NASB).  Jesus had to give His life in order to save us for only by the shedding of His innocent blood on the cross could He pay the price for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Just as the boy was saved by clinging to the ring and the rescuer, God will save and give eternal life to those who cling to His Son in trusting obedience by: placing their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Due to our bad choices, we’ve all fallen into the frigid, deadly waters of sin.  But do not despair!  Our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, has come!

Won’t YOU grasp His life-giving, outstretched hand through your trusting obedience?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “WATCH: 11-Year-Old Rescued From Icy Naperville Pond” from https.chicago.cbslocal.com (1/13/19).

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org