A story from the 40s I heard yesterday. In visiting "Mom" 94, she told a story that happened in South Dakota in the wartime 40s. Waubay SD. A three story house was burning. There were two men, boarders, trapped on the third floor. She could see them with their heads out the window in panic. People organized a safety catch, blankets and ropes into which they could jump and be saved. It would take some faith to make the leap. They were afraid they might be hurt or die by jumping. Because of their lack of faith, they stayed, hoping the fire wouldn't get them, somehow they would be OK even if they never took the leap. They died in the fire while people below were yelling, JUMP, have faith, we'll catch you.
Since I see Jesus in everything, It immediately struck me how much like the lost this is. There is no safety in hoping to escape hell without an act of faith. Saved by faith thru grace. Without taking the leap, hell will well up and consume you. Those men hoped doing nothing, taking what seemed to be the safe way would work out. It didn't. It's terrifying to think of the people dying and ending up in hell because of a fear that they would have to make a leap to live.
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