The Rescue
"Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you." Psalm 34:17
We had terrible storms Monday night. Tuesday morning I looked on the dock and the hibiscus trees our daughter in law had potted had totally uprooted and were upside down on the dock. Grabbing my gloves and trowel I headed down early in the morning to beat the heat. Walking onto the dock, I saw that our umbrella had flown over the rails and landed in the lake. Still in my workout clothes I decided to attempt this rescue from a kayak for fear of slipping on the riprap and falling totally in.
Monday morning I'd had a little accident while cleaning out the garage. My angels did an amazing job of keeping a large glass and metal lantern, which fell off a top shelf, from breaking my shoulder or collar bone and /or cutting me and having me bleed out. All that to say it was a plus and a praise that I'd taken a Tylenol before heading to the dock, because of my shoulder and neck pain.
Getting the kayak off the rack alone, with a wounded shoulder, was the first poor choice I made. The lake was smooth as glass with absolutely no one in sight, as I paddled around the boathouse and docks to where the umbrella lay. I knew I had to lift it from the top, which was in the deeper water. My plan was to drag the umbrella to the shore and then go up on land and pull it out, but the kayak was in the way, so then I decided to try to lift the umbrella up and across the kayak. That was the second poor decision, for the weight of the umbrella caused the kayak to flip on top of me, hitting me on the head. Yes, I was wearing a life jacket. Disoriented momentarily, I staggered to where I could stand and looked at a waterlogged kayak and umbrella. No, one came to the rescue.
I told Jesus it was just the two of us and I needed some guidance. Pushing the kayak, I swam it all the way back to where I could tie it up, get out of the water. and call for help. By the time my neighbor arrived I was sobbing, not because I could have easily drowned and ruined the place my grandkids adore, but because I knew I'd messed up. I should have called for assistance before attempting to resolved the problem myself.
What a perfect picture of how we try to live. We think we can live this life and head to heaven on our own merit, but we can't. We need a rescue and God sent it in the form of Christ. He's there for the taking, but we have to CALL out and ask Him to save us.
...if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord,
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9
