A severe potato famine occurred in the 19th century motivating many of the Irish
to come to the New World to find new opportunities. One of the stories that came
out of these events is about a little boy who did not have the money to pay his
fare to board a ship to the New World. But, he secretly boarded the ship anyway
becoming a stow-away.
As the ship was traveling on the high seas it ran into an iceberg and began to
sink. Passengers began filling the lifeboats to escape to safety. At first the
little boy, who had been hiding in the hull of the ship, was not aware of what
was going on. When he realized what was happening, he rushed up to the deck and
saw the captain taking the last seat in the last lifeboat. In the highest
tradition of the sea, the captain got out of the lifeboat and gave the boy his
seat. As the lifeboat pulled away the captain said to the boy, “ Never forget
what’s been done for you.”
The boy became successful in the New World and was asked the secret of his
motivation. He said, “Whenever I begin to doubt myself or let up from what I
ought to be doing, I always remember a captain standing on a deck and saying, “
Never forget what’s been done for you.” *
YOU and I are much like that little boy! ALL of us have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God and the “ship” onto which we have boarded is sinking, headed
for destruction (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Noticing our plight, the “Captain” of the
Universe
- - Jesus Christ, the Son of God – willingly and lovingly gave His life that we
might be saved (1 Thessalonians 5:10).
Because of His death on the cross, WE can be saved from our sins when: we place
our trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of our sin (2 Corinthians 7:9-10),
confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into
Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). “And He died for ALL, that
those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for
them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). Jesus will continue to cleanse those
who continue to live for Him.
The call from the cross of Calvary upon which Jesus died is, “ Never forget
what’s been done for you.” May each of us gratefully respond to that wonderful
gift by submitting our lives to the One who died for us.
God bless you!
David A. Sargent creekwood@comcast.net
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.