Lifeboats for Lost Souls

"For God so love the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16

One day someone threw this verse at me and it was like a life jacket. For years I had lived without the knowledge and reality of Jesus in my life. I did not know him as my personal saviour or friend. I had been drowning for years in a worldy sea. No bearings, no course and no captain. I am not a nautical person and I am not the world's best swimmer, so a lifejacket really does make a lot of sense, and the best thing I ever did was put it on.

Some years later this picture was to return to me with regard to reaching the lost. I had a picture of arriving at the gates of heaven with my own lifeboat. Except this wasn't just a lifeboat for me; there were seats for others. I suddenly realised I had a list with peoples' names, some close friends and relatives, others just vague recollections. In the boat were life jackets all with John 3:16 on them, they were for the people on the list. This picture threw up a lot of questions, not least where were my passengers?

I've prayed a lot about that list since the lifejackets. How much was I doing to make Jesus known? Was I giving the lifejackets out? Had I forgotten what a desperate life it was to drown in the world with no hope? When anyone saves a life people often talk about the courage of that person who fearlessly saved another. However, quite often the person will say things like "anyone would do the same", "It was a natural response". Somehow I don't think it's the courage that moves their hearts, I think it's more the compassion. There are countless stories of the human heart responding to the need without thinking about fear for personal safety.

On reflection I realised I didn't want my salvation to be as empty as that boat. That taking the opportunities God gives us to hand out those lifejackets are so precious. So I pray every day for my nearest and dearest and all those God loves (short life I hear you say) that in my every day dealing I would respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit who sees very clearly who's drowning, ready with the John 3:16 lifejackets. How about you?