April 29, 2006

Lifted From The Depths

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit. —Psalm 40:1-2

About this cover

A British submarine lay disabled on the ocean floor. Several days passed and the crew lost hope of being rescued. The prospect was especially dim because they had not been able to communicate their exact position to ships on the surface. The commanding officer explained to the men that they didn’t have much longer to live, and he suggested that they sing a hymn. So together, they sang these words: "The darkness deepens—Lord, with me abide."

As the oxygen supply began to run out, the men gradually weakened. One sailor was affected more quickly than the others and lurched forward, crashing against the vessel’s surfacing equipment. Suddenly the faulty mechanism began to operate, and the vessel slowly rose from the ocean floor. They all made it back to port safely.

Greater than any deliverance from a literal sea is God’s provision for those who are trapped in the ocean of unbelief. Only a miracle of grace can bring us out of the pit of sin and degradation.

If you are caught in the grip of sin, Jesus alone can give you a new start. If you put your trust in the Savior, you will be lifted out of the waters of judgment and into the sunlight of God’s forgiveness. —Henry G. Bosch

From sinking sand He lifted me,
With tender hand He lifted me;
From shades of night to plains of light,
O praise His name, He lifted me! —Gabriel

God’s grace can lift you from the plight of sin into the light of salvation.