Rescue Mission

James 5:19-20  My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

The steam ship Central America, on its maiden voyage from New York City to San Francisco harbor, sprang a leak in mid-ocean and began to go down. A distress signal was sent out over the airwaves. A rescue vessel rushed to the scene. Upon reaching the scene, the captain of the rescue vessel sent a message to the Central America asking, “What is your problem, and how can we help?” To which the captain of the Central America answered, “We are going down, wait alongside until morning.”

The captain of the rescue vessel answered. “Send your passengers now.” Again the captain of the Central America answered, “Wait alongside until morning. The captain of the rescue vessel again radioed, “Please, send your passengers now, send your passengers now.” The captain of the Central America, perhaps concerned that his passengers might be injured in the darkness, or concerned about their safety in the transfer between ships answered once again, “wait alongside until morning.”

Dawn showed the rescue vessel an empty sea. During the night the Central America had gone down with all of her passengers and all of her crew. They had waited too long.

Today’s verse sends Christians on a rescue mission. We need to come alongside those who have fallen away and bring them back to Christ. Think about those who used to attend church with you, but you haven’t seen them in a while. Go to them, try to restore them and rescue their hearts. If you succeed, you will have saved them from death.

The story of the Central America warns us not to wait. You can come up with a million excuses why you can’t, or shouldn’t go now, but you run the risk of waiting too late.

In the same way, if you are one of those who have fallen away, you need to get back to Christ. For you, waiting may have disastrous consequences. Come back to Christ today, tomorrow may be too late.

Today’s Readings:  2 Kings 18,19; 2 Chronicles  32; James  5

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