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Themes: "Christ the Saviour, Sacrifice R.N. The Longstone lighthouse was a family business. In that tall 'house' on a rock lived lighthouse keeper, William Darling, his wife, and daughter, Grace. The Darling lighthouse was a happy place.
It was Grace, a frail, delicate girl, who was destined to become Britain's greatest heroine in the history of the sea.
The sixth of September 1838, was a day of storms. The wind was increasingly strong and was accompanied by heavy squalls. For the Darling's in their lighthouse, it had been a very rough night. Grace slept, but was the first to rise the next morning. From habit, after a stormy night, she scanned the rocks and reefs around the lighthouse to check whether any vessel had come to grief there during the hours of darkness. Suddenly she started, then urgently called her father. William Darling was quickly at her side with his telescope. He levelled it in the direction in which Grace pointed. Sure enough there were people on the reef and there was wreckage strewn all around the reef.
William Darling knew that he was needed. It was easy to die from exposure in that kind of weather or from drowning. He knew he must help, but what he really needed was an extra pair of hands.
It was then that Grace said, "I'll come with you father."
William Darling hesitated. His immediate impulse was to refuse. He loved his daughter dearly, and it would be a very dangerous thing he was committing her to, in more ways than one. There was not only the danger from the sea, but Grace was a very slight and delicate girl. Such an ordeal might easily overtax her strength.
But he also knew that she could handle a boat better than most men, and that when she had set her heart on doing something, especially for other people, it was very hard to stop her. Minutes later the lighthouse keeper and his daughter were on their way. The boat reared and plunged madly in the heaving seas, but the two of them rowed steadily, unhurriedly, keeping perfect time with each other, as they had done so many times before.
They reached the reef safely, and as Grace tended the boat William Darling helped the people in. Altogether thirty-eight people had died, but nine were saved from the sea, thanks largely to the courage of a girl called Grace.
Grace Darling's life was all too short. Never strong, she became an invalid shortly after she had done her great deed. She died of tuberculosis, one of the great scourges of those days, at the sad early age of twenty-seven.
What Grace did that day is almost explained by the meaning of her name. She risked her own life for others when she saw that they were in danger. She didn't have to, but she wanted to help.
Now let us think about God's grace. God's grace is unlimited, he has provided for all to be rescued, by sending his only Son to die for our sins. "But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." His grace is not just for nine people but for all. How can we not accept his provision? The work is all finished, and the only thing we need to do is trust in Him.
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Glen Moore
