As dawn brightened, 4 cousins cheered and clapped when a rescue helicopter flew overhead. Slowly, steadily it hovered over the tree tops. Then, suddenly, it turned and chopped out of sight. Their hopes sagged. The four cousins realized no one had seen them. They all began to cry.

It started out as such a perfect Mother's Day. Relatives from Maine to Virginia gathered for a family picnic. After supper, 9 year old Marianne led her aunt and 3 younger cousins on a hike. Somewhere in the woods, they lost the path.

Blazing their own trail through the bush, they found themselves wandering hopelessly as darkness fell. The terrain had turned to black pools of swamp water and muck Midnight approached. The aunt knew they were in trouble. She found a bed of dry leaves, huddled the 4 girls around her and covered the 5 year olds with her jacket. Then it began to rain. It was dark and cold and windy. The little girls struggled to choke back their fright. "They started crying", recalls the aunt,"It was hard to stop them, because they had a reason to cry" Meanwhile, unknown to them, dozens of police and rescue volunteers began to search. Scanning with flashlights and calling their names they started into the thick brush. The swampy bog made for very slow going - in some places it took more than an hour to go 100 feet. They called their names. They listened. The only sound was the echo of their own voices.

With their hopes of the rescue chopper now dashed, the aunt struck out the next morning in search of help. "I'd go in up to my waist in water," she recalled, "then suddenly up to my neck. And I can't swim...."

About 10:00 A.M., she heard someone call out. She shouted back. "I saw her hand stick up, and there she was - up to her neck in water!" said the rescuer.

Minutes later, two other searchers heard a child cry for help. "I found them, man!" one of them whooped. The tedious hunt ended in joy after 15 frightening hours scarcely a mile from home.

After reading this story , we can all imagine what it was like to be in their shoes. We can imagine, too, the fright of Jesus' 12 disciples tossed for a night on a dark, stormy sea. They were in a helpless situation and knew it. How glad they were the Savior came to search them out. He gave them cheer and took their fear!

Did you ever realize that, as a sinner, you are also in a helpless situation? However, you are far more than a mile from home. Sin has separated you far from God. Lost in your sins, what you need is the Savior! The Lord Jesus wants to rescue you for Heaven if you'll accept Him as your only hope. He said about Himself, "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

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• Rob Oliver ~ Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania