About 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, two police officers rescued four teens whose boat had gotten turned around on the Niagara River and were in danger of going over the falls. Because it was dark and foggy, the police officers then became lost and mistakenly headed for the falls themselves.
Fortunately, their anchor caught on rocks about 300 yards from the falls’ crest. The terrified officers were stranded for five hours before they were rescued by Canada’s Niagara Police Service. Helicopter pilot Ruedi Hafen, who flew the rescue helicopter, told the Toronto Star that it was a “desperate situation.” He went on to say, “If the anchor would have let go, they would have had no chance. They would have gone over. Such a little boat, such a big anchor. That saved their lives.”
What Hafen did not say in his interview is that regardless of the size of the anchor, if it had not been attached to the rocks, the boat would have perished anyway. In fact, the anchor was holding so securely to the rocks that later that day the Coast Guard was able to successfully retrieve the boat.
What a story! And it is a story with two heroes—the anchor and the rocks. Without the anchor it would have been impossible to hold on, and without the rocks there would have been nothing to hold onto. I believe that this is a perfect illustration of our relationship with Christ.
In chapter 6 of Hebrews we read that God has made us a promise and bound himself with an oath so that we need never doubt our salvation. “This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself…” (Hebrews 6:19, Living Bible)
It is this hope that keeps us connected to Christ, “a mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment.” (I Corinthians 10:4, Living Bible) Those police officers, caught up in what seemed to be a situation that would result in certain death, provide a wonderful picture of what Christ has done for us.
First, He has given us hope. Without hope we cannot have faith. The Bible defines faith as “the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.” (Hebrews 11:1, Living Bible) Our hope in Christ is our anchor that allows us to connect to the Rock that will save us from certain disaster.
Second, He has given us Himself, “a mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment” that sustains us through life’s most precarious situations. He has promised that He will provide for us and lead us to safety if we will only trust in Him.
In describing the police officer’s boat, Hafen said, “such a little boat, such a big anchor.” We need to remember that it is not the size of the boat, it’s the size of the anchor that matters. If that anchor is big and strong, all we have to do is attach it to the Rock, and we will be able to weather any storm.
For related posts by Joyce, visit her website at http://www.frontier2000.net/.
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