Some time ago there was a story in the San Francisco Chronicle about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.
Thankfully, a fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was in such bad condition that the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her, a very dangerous proposition.
One slap of the enormous whale’s tail could kill a rescuer. Still the brave rescuers worked for hours cutting her free. One guy who was cutting the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time. Eventually they were able to free her.
As soon as she became free, the divers say she began to swim in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.
Somewhere there is a friend of yours that is trapped. Going in to rescue them will be dangerous and will be risky.
At some point in the rescue process...you will want to give up...but they are watching you.
Don't give up. Never give up. It is times like this...when they are helpless and tangled that they need you the most.
You are a Christ-follower. You are a rescuer. You bring hope. You represent Hope.
The day that they escape what is holding them...they will thank God...and they will thank you...and it, too, will be beautiful.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
2 comments:
This was a really moving teaching Pastor Brian!!! Thank you for helping us to focus on what's most important! Have a beautiful snappy weather day :-)
Brian, what a great analogy. Very good. Inspirational.
Post a Comment