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
May God strengthen your faith, and fill your heart with His gracious peace! We pray together, as one Body of Christ, that He may save our children!
Reblogged this on Kristi's Political Place and commented:
Please PRAY for All our Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus-Yeshua and their Families and Friends!! “Pray Without Ceasing.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV )!!
Love <3 Always and Shalom ( Peace ) Everyone, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
This evening on my way home from work I told my son that he needs to repent and be born again, or else he is going to hell. I told him that he needs to get right with God. I told him a lot more than that and I was sobbing as I told him. Time is so incredibly short and I’m terrified he’s going to end up in hell. My heart is breaking for my son, too. I understand how you feel. I’m there with you. Thanks for sharing this.
I’m so sorry, Nina. So many Christian parents feel our pain 🙁
I’ve felt an urgency for my nephew as well (he is in jail awaiting sentencing). I write him every month and present the gospel message to him, emphasizing he will go to hell if he doesn’t confess and trust in Jesus Christ atoning work on the cross. The Lord has been sending a prison ministry to talk to him for the last six months and an inmate even gave him Bible. He lets me know that he is interested in all of the information and appreciates my love and concern, but isn’t quite sure it’s what he wants to do?!!
It’s heartbreaking, I don’t want my nephew separated from the Lord and suffering for all of eternity.
“So many Christian parents feel our pain”
Yeah, just about all of us do. It’s nothing new. Look at David’s children for example.
Proverbs 22:6 (NASB)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
My children are all adults now. None of them walk with the Lord. Yet we pray that the Lords calls them to him. We did plant the seeds and they were brought up in the church. Yet the world has hold of them. Sound familiar?
Maybe an Apollos type will come by and water the seeds?
1 Corinthians 3:6 (NASB)
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
Just Pray. Without prayer you go nowhere….
I have learned that our children are in God’s hands and I can pray for their salvation and I need to trust God for His sovereignty and His goodness. He is trustworthy!
I know the pain of losing my son. He was still is my gift from God and he died in 2013 on my mom’s birthday (his grandma). I cry for him every day but he is in heaven. He got involved in something that killed him but he and I were both praying to overcome this. God gave me assurance where he is and I know I had something to do that I never could have if my sin was alive. God did not take him he allowed the enemy to do so. I cry every day I miss him SO much. My only child BUT now I know I would not have ever considered evangelizing in the middle east in case I paid the ultimate price. I know that is thinking wrong but I I have talked to God about this and for the first time I feel at peace. My church is going to Honduras and I would like to go just to be more sure of myself. Of course with God with me It will be fine. So even if I do not go I will be fine. Pray for me everyone who reads this. TTYL