THE FATHERS ANGUISHING DECISION
Posted by: root <root@...>
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's preacher once
again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief
introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped up to
the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing
off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any
attempt to get back to shore.
The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor,
he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who
were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested
in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make
the most excruciating decision of his life....to which boy he would throw the
other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father
knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was
not.
The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the
father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend.
By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had
disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was
never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting
for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth. "The father," he
continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not
bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus.
Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should
do the same for us." With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his
chair as silence filled the room.
Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old
man's side. "That was a nice story," politely started one of the boys, "but I
don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in
hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his
worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up
at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing
here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have
been like for God to give up His Son for me.
You see....I was the son's friend.
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