I have written before about my sons, and how strong they both were in their walk with the Lord  – until they went to a secular college. I’ve heard this story from so many broken hearted Christian parents. I believe that we are in the end of the end times. I know that Satan is prowling about;  bringing destruction and doubt into the minds of our young adult children.

I will tell the reader about a miraculous event in my son’s life.  It could only have happened by the hand of God.  I’m sure that the Lord has sent many miracles into the lives of our wayward children to bring them back to Him.  But I will write of a miracle which happened in my son’s life while on an internship to the Apostle Islands one summer during college.

The Phone Call

My knowledge of this event began with a phone call from my son. He said “Mom, I almost died yesterday.”  With my heart nearly beating out of my chest, I finally gained my composure and asked what happened. Here is the story he told to me:

My son began by saying that the kids from his cabin were invited to a professor’s home for dinner.  He said they had a great time and that this professor relayed so many interesting stories about Lake Superior and the Islands.

The professor told the kids that if they would swim even a short distance off the coast of Lake Superior, that they might be able to see parts of wrecked ships. Lake Superior has a long history of ship wrecks – the Edmund Fitzgerald being among the most famous. Gordon Lightfoot wrote and sang a song about that tragic event:

My son continue telling me his story. He said that the professor’s words made him so curious about the ship wrecks, that he went down to the shore very early, before his cabin mates were awake. He went alone…..

He walked out into the water and then began to swim. But soon he felt a tugging on him. It was a rip current – a strong one – which began to take him out further and further. He said that that he fought against the rip current, but realized that his attempt was futile. It was as if the current was a living thing, determined to drag him to his death in a watery grave. He was certain that he was going to die.

He said that fighting the current had made him so weak, and that the morning sun beating down on him made him thirsty and so hot.  He was becoming dehydrated. At last, he gave up. He could just barely see the shoreline. He closed his eyes and floated on his back.  He thought of how I would weep when they told me he was gone.

Having resigned himself to his inevitable death, he kept his eyes closed. He completely lost any sense of time or how much time had elapsed since he gave up any hope of survival.

But then he told me how he felt something touching his back. It startled him at first, but upon opening his eyes, he realize that what he felt was the sand of the shoreline!  At first he thought that he was dreaming or that the dehydration and his state of mind were playing tricks on him.

The Miracle

He turned over and felt the sand and raised his head. He then realized that somehow he had made it back to safety.  He was sun burned and his throat parched. He had swallowed water and because of that, he became very sick and vomited over and over. Soon he realized that he had come ashore to the exact spot where he began his horrific experience.

He heard voices and looked up to see a couple walking along the shore. Realizing that he was in trouble, they ran to him to see if they could help.

After relaying the story to them, the wife gave him a stern rebuke for ever swimming alone in that treacherous body of water; she had with her a full bottle of Gatorade and gave it to my son. It was better than water. It had electrolytes to quickly rehydrate him.

When he mustered up the energy, he slowly walked back to the cabin and collapsed in his bed. The whole time he was relaying this incredible ordeal, my mind immediately had gone to God and His angels.

I told him that there was no other explanation other than God had send an angel to rescue him. I told him that the Lord was clearly showing him His unconditional love for him, and that he was waiting for him with arms opened wide.

Denying the Miracle

But sadly, my son scoffed at my words. He told me that it must have been that he relaxed on his back. He came up with every alternative explanation as to why he was deposited on the beach when earlier, he was hardly able to even see the shoreline.

I knew at that point, that no matter what I said about the Lord doing this miracle, my son would not have it.

When we hung up, I prayed for him.  He would not allow me to pray with him. I know that he will never forget that harrowing experience, and how he was saved from certain death. And how the couple walking by just happened to have the one drink which he needed so desperately.

Father God, I pray for all of the prodigals and for their praying parents. You can do anything, Lord . Thank you Lord that even now You are working in the hearts and minds of our wayward children. We place them at Your feet, for they are Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN.

MARANATHA