Stay Out and Stay Alive

During our day of meetings and getting better acquainted with Spokane yesterday, we stopped to see a gorgeous gorge with white water flowing between the rock walls., The gorge dropped at least a hundred feet from the observation deck. I actually feel the spray from the tumultuous waters below. The view took my breath away.

The Spokane River actually flows pretty calmly before it funnels into the gorge through a dam. On one side of the dam the waters were like glass. After the water funneled through the dam the waters tossed and churned like a boiling cauldron of soup. The force and the power of the water being funneled through the dam, and then through the narrow gorge, held my attention for several minutes. If a person were to fall into that water it would be a death sentence.

I did not notice the sign across the gorge up on the rock wall. The white painted sign with red lettering simply read, “Stay out and Stay alive.” Next to the letters a crude picture of man diving into the water with a circle and line through it had been drawn. I don’t know why that sign captured my attention. My mind really began to turn as I put the whole scene together.

I looked back at the smooth water and saw that as metaphor for how most people live life. Things flow along gently and calmly without any hint of what lies in store. Next, the dam represents the sovereign grace of God which holds back His fury. For those who do not come into a saving relationship with Jesus that sovereign grace will be turned into righteous indignation and fury. As I watched the fury and ferociousness of the water after it went through the dam I could only think of the hundreds of thousands who are headed toward a Christ-less eternity in Spokane., Humboldt, and Seminole.

It was humbling to watch that scene unfold for several minutes. I felt like God was preaching a message but nobody was listening. to He shouts out from nature warning of the impending danger that awaits all pagans who do not turn to Him in repentance. Though I live in the Bible belt back in Seminole, the impending danger is no less real. People perish without Jesus Christ and my mission is to throw the rescue rope of the gospel to trust God to bring people to safety.

Have you ever really sat down and thought what the unleashing of God’s wrath will be like for unbelievers. Being the target of God’s anger, fury, wrath, and hot displeasure is a terrifying thought. It makes me cringe to think about it. What I find more sobering is the fact that such suffering will last for eternity or time without end. God has entrusted those who have been rescued with a wonderful message and we must faithfully share it with those headed for impending judgment and the full fury of God’s anger. I do not wish such an end for even those who hate my guts.

I am grateful that God gave me a not so subtle reminder of what my task is. I am one standing on the banks throwing the rescue rope of the gospel to those who are swimming in the waters of the vengeance of our God. I am also the sign crying out for people to stay out of the waters by entering a saving relationship with Jesus and to stay alive for eternity because of God’s grace offered through the blood of Jesus. If you are not in that relationship impending doom awaits. Come to Jesus and He alone will shelter from the righteous judgment of God.