WITHOUT STRENGTH | AdventAI

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, January 29, 1880

FromThe Review and Herald, Vol. 55, No. 5

“WITHOUT STRENGTH.”

An exceedingly interesting incident took place in a certain seaport not long ago. A number of people had gathered on one of the wharves to witness something or to enjoy the breeze from the water; and during the time one of the number accidentally fell over the wharf into the water beneath. Of course, in a moment the people were in a great excitement, some crying for help, and others seeming fixed to the spot, while they with horror beheld the struggles of the drowning man, but no one dared jump in to rescue him. Among the number stood a strong, able-bodied sailor, who they knew could swim. He, too, seemed as if nailed to the wharf, while he calmly watched the struggles of the man in the water.

The crowd said, “Why does he not jump in and save the man?” The sailor still stood with folded arms, calmly watching the vain struggles of the poor man in the water, but made no movement on his part to save him. As the people saw the drowning man, and the seeming indifference of the sailor, their indignation knew no bounds, and they cried, “Wretch! why does he not jump in and save the man?” Still the sailor stood erect, and with folded arms, gazed upon the water, and the object before him struggling for life. The man had sunk once and risen to the surface, and had gone down the second time and risen again; when as he was about to give up, and sink to rise no more, to the utter astonishment of all present, the sailor plunged into the water under the sinking man, bore him to the surface and brought him to shore.

Now the people, who were so enraged at the sailor’s apparent indifference, could understand the wisdom of his entire course. He waited until the man had no strength even to struggle, and then plunged in and saved him.

This affords a striking illustration of God’s way in saving a sinner. God’s way is to wait, not with indifference surely, until the sinner finds out that he has no strength to save or help to save himself. All the while he supposes he can do aught to save himself, he is not “without strength.” God will wait until he comes to this, and with some it is a long, dreary experience. Their early religious training and pre-conceived ideas—all, all against them. So for weeks and months, yea, for years, they are left to their strugglings, and strivings, and doings, until they in earnest bow down to the God-stated fact, that they are “without strength.”—Glad Tidings.