Ocean Rescue

Perhaps you have recently heard the story reported by ABC news of a novice skydiver. In her first sky dive, her primary parachute didn’t work.  Her backup parachute didn’t open either.  As she was plummeting to cement landing at 50 M.P.H., she darted a prayer and then landed face first on the pavement. Amazingly, she survived with few injuries.

When I read another extraordinary story in the book, Ten True Animal Rescues by Jeanne Betancourt, my heart wanted to sing Christmas carols!  In my own words, I’ll retell the story and summarize some of the spiritual health-giving lessons found in this story.

There were no lifeguards on the Floridian beach this August day in 1943. She was not supposed to go swimming without them being on duty, the calm waters of the Atlantic Ocean beguiled her and on a spur of impulse, she left the beach and waded into the ocean.  Her conscience was appeased.  After all, the water was only up to her waist. But in a split second, as a strong undertow knocked her down and sucked her under water, she realized that the calm was only superficial.  Inadvertently gulping large mouthful of the ocean, she struggle to breathe as the water slapped her relentlessly, pulling her into even deeper water.  Unable to swim in rough water, she was being swept increasing farther from the shore.

Something spotted her and it wasn’t the oncoming lifeguard either. A shark began to circle her.  The ocean roar drowned out her feeble cries of help. However, something else noticed the woman and the shark, a dolphin.  Dolphins distaste sharks and often fight them. Perhaps the dolphin didn’t want the lady’s blood signaling other sharks into its territory. Maybe an angel guided the dolphin.  Perhaps the dolphin was an angel in disguise. What the dolphin did next was truly remarkable.

The dolphin torpedoed itself straight toward the shark’s gills.  WHAM! Before the shark could respond, the dolphin struck him again.  Defeated, the injured shark turned away from the drowning woman.

The lady didn’t notice her rescuer. Semi-conscious at the best, she floated face down.  Next, the dolphin swam under the drowning woman and lifted her up on its back.  Her face was out of water now.  Then the dolphin caught a big wave and brought her to shore.  
A man watching the dolphin couldn’t believe his eyes. The dolphin can as close to the shore as it could without itself being beached.  As it turned around, the woman flew through the air and landed on sand.  She was coughing up water, but she was alive! She knew she had been rescued and wished to thank the kind stranger who risked his life to save her. He must have been such a suburb swimmer to master a dangerously strong undertow, but she saw no one until the onlooker rushed to her and described her rescuer.

Gradually feeling stronger, she stood up and saw the leaping dolphin herding shark farther way from the shore.

As I thought about this story, I felt it summarized part of the Christmas message. In life we sometimes capriciously respond to seemingly good opportunities, as this woman did. They attract us into seemingly harmless pleasures, just as the tranquil waves of the picturesque ocean lured this lady into the midst.  A powerful undercurrent of unobvious sin sucks us down and saps our strength to fight or even pray.  We, on such an occasion, become isolated, maybe even hidden from the view of others.  Barely conscious, we float facedown into destruction.  Many of these deceptive traps and close calls, could be avoided if we would consult with our heavenly Lifeguard and wait for His reply before venturing out in life’s ocean of opportunities.

The good news is, even though we have been deceived, even though we have ignored His wise counsel, and are ready to die, He loves us and rescues.  David expresses this heart-felt recognition when he writes, ”The channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.  He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me, for they were too strong for me…He brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he delight in me.” Psalm 18:15,26,27,19.  Light the brave mighty dolphin in the story; Jesus has truly rescued us from certain spiritual death.  This good news is better than any medicine a doctor could prescribe.