The Old Man and the Sea
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor 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."
Special thanks to Lady Maggie for this submission, July 2000