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Themes Gone Astray PROUD AND PERISHING It was blazing hot. All I could think about was getting cooled off. The water in the Bahamas was beautiful. I had on my snorkeling gear and did not pay attention to the instructor. She was telling us all about the dangers of the ocean and that there was a strong current that could take us far away from shore. When she finally finished with the lesson, I leaped in and began to enjoy the refreshing water. The ocean floor was beautiful! It was fun to keep my head under water and breathe through the snorkel at the same time. As the water got deeper, it seemed the scenery was even more beautiful. The fish were getting more colorful. The rocks on the bottom were getting larger. It got more exciting each moment. The thought occurred to me that maybe I should look up to see where I was, but I was having too much fun. Soon, my head ran into a rope in the middle of the water. Without thinking, I swam over it and began drifting outside the snorkeling boundaries. When I finally decided to look up and see where I was, I was terrified. I could barely even see the beach! I had drifted far away without realizing it. "Could anyone see me way out here?" I thought. I began swimming back towards the beach, but was making little progress. The current was too strong. I heard a voice from the beach yelling, "Do you need help?" I replied proudly, "No, I'm okay!" I began frantically thrashing my way back to the shore, but still could inch no closer than I had been. I heard the voice again, "Sir, do you need help?" Angry that he thought I was weak and helpless, I responded with another, "No!" This time, I swam with all my might and energy. Still no progress. One last time the voice rang out, "Sir, I can help you. Do you need help?" Finally admitting my weakness, I said, "Yes, I need help." Moments later, a small boat was heading in my direction. When it finally reached me, I willingly grabbed the edge of the boat as its captain began the journey back. Have you ever looked up to see where you are? You may be surprised at how far you have drifted from God. It is very easy to enjoy all the pleasures of the world and drift far away from God in your sin. The Bible says, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you" (Isaiah 59:2). There is a huge distance between you and God. But God wants to help you. He wants to save you. He wants you to admit that you are weak and helpless and that only He can take you to eternal safety through the death of His Son. Don't be proud like I was. You may miss out on God's salvation forever. Admit your helplessness and come to the Savior. God says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6).
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Shelly McKenna
