But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
(Romans 5.8 NRSV)
Patrick M. Morley in his great advice book, THE MAN IN THE MIRROR, tells a heart-wrenching story about an ill-fated Alaskan fishing trip. Some fishermen in a small seaplane find a secluded bay where they can fish. They have a great day of pulling in salmon and then return to their plane late in the afternoon. Much to their surprise, they find the aircraft high and dry because of the fluctuating tides. There is no choice but to wait until morning when incoming tides will make takeoff possible again.

The next morning, with the plane afloat, they start the engine and take to the air. Within minutes, however, the plane falls back into the sea. A leak in one of the pontoons lets it fill up with water, and the extra weight causes the plane to crash.

The three adult fishermen survive the crash as does Mark, the 12-year-old son of one of the fishermen. After praying, the four abandon the sinking plane and begin to swim toward shore, fighting the cold waters and a vicious riptide as they go. Two of the men, strong swimmers, reach shore exhausted. But looking back out onto the water they see the father cradling his son in his arms as they are swept out to sea. The father could have made shore alone, but his son, much smaller, could not. The father decides to die with his son rather than leave him.

Paul's testimony would be that this father's love is a reflection of the love God has for us.

Dear God, thank you for your love that is most profound in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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