While the World Watched and Waited...
...and then heaved a collective sigh of relief and deep satisfaction.
I don’t have the words to describe the helplessness and hopelessness that I felt upon hearing of thirteen young men trapped in a cave in Thailand. They were literally held captive by rising, murky water, blackness so thick it was palpable and hanging only to a thread of hope that they would be found in time. So easily the narrow ledge that was their home for over two weeks could have become their tomb.
But that didn’t happen! The moment word went out that they were missing many stepped up offering their knowledge, wisdom and expertise. Without total strangers getting involved I fear the result would have been sadly different. Members of the search and rescue team knew that they were in a position where they could very possibly lose their own lives, but something drove them on. As I watched the most recent broadcast of ‘20/20’ I heard many express that this was by far the most difficult dive they had ever undertaken.
So, why? When I think of the fact that I have six grandsons that fall into the same age category, my heart aches for the families that lived the terror of the ordeal in its most raw form. I know I would do whatever I could to help, anything at all. So here across the ocean from where all the action was taking place I found all I could do was pray and believe that they were in God’s care and He would bring them out! I know there were countless numbers of people doing the same thing. With everyone doing what they could, the way was opened for a miracle to be manifested. Not only the fact that the boys were found against all odds, but that against much greater odds everyone came out of the cave alive and without major injuries! The supernatural strength that must have carried the rescuers is astounding to me. And in the face of the already most difficult task, to lose one of their own! Yet they kept going with an out of this world determination, that no more lives would be lost on their watch.
To aid them in reaching and extracting the lost soccer players powerful pumps were put in place to reduce the amount of water in the cave channels. After the team was safely out of the cave, and before all of the rescue team had exited, the pumps failed and torrents of water immediately rushed the men as they struggled to remove the last of the equipment.
They all made it out safely, because no one gave up! What a lesson for us, when we so often wimp out on little issues, and we are tempted to run away, pout and feel sorry for ourselves.
As I look around me I determine that with all I’ve got going for me, I will do what I can to help those who walk this path beside me and run into difficult times. I renew my resolve to be grateful for all I have been blessed with and although I haven’t been in a place where I was on the receiving end of a ‘big’ miracle like this, there are many miracles that make up my everyday. I am so thankful to God for bringing me through a lot of stuff that had me sitting on my own little ledge, in the dark, feeling utterly helpless!
Just like the parable Jesus told of the lost sheep and how the shepherd left the many in the safety of the fold and searched for the one that was lost, God still searches and rescues those that He loves and longs to have a relationship with!
So I keep my eyes open for those that need a rescuing touch, on the way to the party!
I don’t have the words to describe the helplessness and hopelessness that I felt upon hearing of thirteen young men trapped in a cave in Thailand. They were literally held captive by rising, murky water, blackness so thick it was palpable and hanging only to a thread of hope that they would be found in time. So easily the narrow ledge that was their home for over two weeks could have become their tomb.
But that didn’t happen! The moment word went out that they were missing many stepped up offering their knowledge, wisdom and expertise. Without total strangers getting involved I fear the result would have been sadly different. Members of the search and rescue team knew that they were in a position where they could very possibly lose their own lives, but something drove them on. As I watched the most recent broadcast of ‘20/20’ I heard many express that this was by far the most difficult dive they had ever undertaken.
So, why? When I think of the fact that I have six grandsons that fall into the same age category, my heart aches for the families that lived the terror of the ordeal in its most raw form. I know I would do whatever I could to help, anything at all. So here across the ocean from where all the action was taking place I found all I could do was pray and believe that they were in God’s care and He would bring them out! I know there were countless numbers of people doing the same thing. With everyone doing what they could, the way was opened for a miracle to be manifested. Not only the fact that the boys were found against all odds, but that against much greater odds everyone came out of the cave alive and without major injuries! The supernatural strength that must have carried the rescuers is astounding to me. And in the face of the already most difficult task, to lose one of their own! Yet they kept going with an out of this world determination, that no more lives would be lost on their watch.
To aid them in reaching and extracting the lost soccer players powerful pumps were put in place to reduce the amount of water in the cave channels. After the team was safely out of the cave, and before all of the rescue team had exited, the pumps failed and torrents of water immediately rushed the men as they struggled to remove the last of the equipment.
They all made it out safely, because no one gave up! What a lesson for us, when we so often wimp out on little issues, and we are tempted to run away, pout and feel sorry for ourselves.
As I look around me I determine that with all I’ve got going for me, I will do what I can to help those who walk this path beside me and run into difficult times. I renew my resolve to be grateful for all I have been blessed with and although I haven’t been in a place where I was on the receiving end of a ‘big’ miracle like this, there are many miracles that make up my everyday. I am so thankful to God for bringing me through a lot of stuff that had me sitting on my own little ledge, in the dark, feeling utterly helpless!
Just like the parable Jesus told of the lost sheep and how the shepherd left the many in the safety of the fold and searched for the one that was lost, God still searches and rescues those that He loves and longs to have a relationship with!
So I keep my eyes open for those that need a rescuing touch, on the way to the party!
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