Rescue

Rescue workers in Alameda, California were forced to watch as a man drowned after they realized they could not save him because they did not possess the proper certifications for water rescue required to legally do so.

Had the workers attempted a rescue without the legal certifications, they could have faced lawsuits leading to massive fines and career ending rulings.

The victim was a suicidal man who waded into the waters to take his own life. Onlookers, including police, firemen and other rescue workers were forced to watch from the water’s edge hopelessly.

In fact, because of certifications and laws, rescue workers could not even legally enter the water to retrieve the body after the man had died. The police asked an onlooker to do it for them.

Can you believe that everyone just stood around watching another die? Not because they weren’t able to save the man but because lack of a certification. My, my, my; but wait a minute we might be doing the same thing. Christ has forgiven us by His grace we have a new future but are we standing around watching those around us drown in their grief still a prisoner and a victim of sin?  Our excuse may be I just don’t feel qualified, I just don’t know the Scriptures well enough; well do like the Apostle Paul did, tell your story! Tell what the Lord did for you!

Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Just like the Apostle Paul you too have a story to tell of how the Lord rescued you from a life of sin; you don’t have to stand by, go tell them what the Lord has done for you. That’s a story that can’t be argued with. Let me share a story of another with you. I was working in a restaurant as a cook at the time. A new lady was hired as the breakfast cook. She would be finishing up as I came in to begin preparation for the lunch rush. I would always hear her talking to others about Jesus. It always seemed like she had had coffee with Him that morning before coming to work. Did you notice what he said the lady talked as if she had had coffee with Jesus that morning before coming to work? Who are we having coffee with in the mornings? Maybe that’s why we don’t have a story to tell and maybe that’s why we feel we need some kind of certification. That man just heard her story and this is what it did for him. That always intrigued me. So much so that I developed a hunger to know Jesus myself, if that were possible. That’s what the Apostle Paul said Philippians 3:10  That I may know him, That’s it we can and must know HIM!  Believe I’ll go have a cup of coffee with Him!