There is an incredible video clip from Grouse Mountain ski resort Wednesday, February 27th about an eight year old boy who slid off the chair lift and was dangling twenty feet in the air with only his dad holding on by his hands.
This is every skiers worse nightmare.
The boy’s dad attempted to keep hold of him by his arms in a nail-biting few minutes, while quick-thinking skiers on the ground below came to the rescue. Abandoning their skis and snowboards, the young group cleverly used a piece of bright orange out-of-bounds netting to catch him below, stretching it tightly in their hands. The boy dropped into the plastic netting without injury.
This amazing true story is such a picture of how the body of Christ is to work together to save spiritual lives in imminent danger.
Here a few points to consider:
- It was an unplanned rescue. None of these skiers went to Grouse Mountain that day thinking they would be involved in a dangerous rescue attempt. It required a willingness to have the rescuers plans interrupted.
- It required awareness. The skiers on the ground could have totally missed the drama playing out over their heads.
- It required immediate action. Everyone needed a sense of urgency to make the rescue happen. Any hesitation and the opportunity would be lost.
- It required team work. No one person could have rescued this boy. There was a leader with a rescue plan and others who quickly joined them to make it happen.
- It was likely by strangers. The rescuers were not connected to the rescued by any apparent family or friend bond other than fellow skiers.
- It was joyous. Without the rescuers, there would be great sorrow in someone’s family that day. Instead, there was clapping and rejoicing. The person who caught it on camera called them heroes.
Rescuing people dangling over the cliff of spiritual darkness, is a lot like rescuing an 8 year old boy from a ski lift.
We need to start everyday asking the Holy Spirit to make us aware of opportunities to rescue others and the courage to take immediate action when an unplanned opportunity arises. It’s helpful to remember their loved ones when speaking with those in spiritual darkness. There are Moms and Dads, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues who are praying for them, loving them, holding on to them so they don’t take a huge fall. God has sent Christians rescuers to them over and over again and we are all working together as a team.
It is so important to be a member of a church that prays for the lost and encourages and celebrates rescues. I’m grateful we serve a God who rescues and saves. Luke 15:7 says, “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
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