Listen for the splash

Aug 29

5 min read

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” Psalm 18:16

A few weeks ago, during a summer boat vacation with my wife, Jillane, I came closer to dying than I ever have in 73 years.

It was around 11 p.m., and I was tying up our boat when a strong wind came through. My foot caught in one of the lines; I lost my balance, and I went into the water. Our boat was tight against the dock, leaving only a narrow gap between them. By God’s grace, I missed the stern transom and the dinghy prop that were directly in my path.

But this wasn’t a simple fall off the dock.

Because of the angle of my fall, half my body slipped under the floating dock, and my feet became tangled in the power cord running from the dock to our boat.

I could not reach the surface.

No matter how hard I fought, the dock and tangled cord kept my head underwater. I was trapped. After several attempts to free myself, I knew I was in real trouble.

Within seconds, I began to lose consciousness. I could not save myself!

Then, God Intervened

At that same moment, three men from another boat in the marina decided to take out their trash.

At 11 p.m., in a spot they normally would not walk. They heard the splash from down the dock. When they realized what had happened, they ran toward our boat. One of the men jumped into the water, pulled my head out from under the dock, and brought me to the surface.

If they had walked by one minute later, or simply decided not to take out the trash that night, I am convinced this story would have ended very differently.

You may wonder where Jillane was during all of this. She had returned to the boat before I went out to tighten the lines. By the time she heard the commotion and realized what was happening, those three “angels” were already there.

Guys, I have no doubt those three men were a gift from God. I believe He placed them there at the exact moment I needed them.

To me, it was a miracle. I thank God for it, and I am deeply grateful to the three men who happened to be walking by and saved my life. Jillane and I are still processing what happened, but one thought keeps rising to the surface:

I could not rescue myself. Someone had to come after me.

We All Need a Rescuer

That experience has changed the way I think about my relationship with Jesus.

In life, can any of us really rescue ourselves? We may like to think we can. As men, we’re pretty good at convincing ourselves that we can handle things. Work harder. Fix the problem. Push through. Figure it out.

But ultimately, none of us can rescue ourselves.

Jesus went to the cross and made the ultimate sacrifice to save you and me for eternity.

Being trapped beneath a dock, unable to breathe, is a very different kind of rescue, but maybe the picture isn’t as different as it first appears. There are times when we need someone to come after us. And thankfully, we have a Savior who did.

Are We Hearing the Splash?

That night also made me think about the people around us.

Jeremy and I believe many men are struggling to keep their heads above water.

They may not be drowning physically, as I was, but they may be drowning emotionally, spiritually, relationally, or financially.

A marriage may be drowning.

A friend may be drowning in grief.

Someone may be overwhelmed financially.

Another guy may be struggling with his faith, his family, his business, or something he hasn’t told anyone about.

Someone sitting right beside us may be silently going under. The question is: Are we listening for the “splashes” in the lives of the people around us?

Galatians 6:2 tells us:

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

God put three men in my path at exactly the right time. Thankfully, they heard the splash. And thankfully, they didn’t keep walking.

What about us?

There may be someone in your life right now who needs you to hear his splash.

Maybe he doesn’t need you to solve everything. Maybe he just needs you to notice. To make the phone call. Ask another question. Sit down for coffee. Pray with him. Walk beside him. Help him carry something that has become too heavy to carry alone.

Sometimes God’s answer to someone’s prayer may be another person who simply pays attention and responds.

Four Things I Won’t Forget

This experience left me with four lessons I hope I never forget.

1. LIFE IS FRAGILE

Everything can change in a second.

James 4:14 describes our life as “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Many of us live as though tomorrow is promised. I understand now, more than ever, that it isn’t. Don’t waste the life God has given you. Love your family. Call the friend. Make time for the people who matter. Spend time with God. Do the things you keep saying you’ll get around to someday.

2. WE ALL NEED A RESCUER

There are moments when we simply cannot save ourselves. Ultimately, our greatest rescue is the one Jesus offers us. We don’t earn it. We don’t muscle our way into it. Our Rescuer came after us.

3. GOD CAN USE YOU TO RESCUE OTHERS

Those three men did not wake up that morning knowing they would save someone’s life. They were simply there. They heard something. They responded.

So can you. Stay alert. Pay attention to the people God puts in your path. You may never know how important your willingness to respond could be.

4. DO NOT WEAR FLIP-FLOPS WHEN TIEING UP A BOAT

Seriously. Lesson learned.