PASSING
THE LIFELINE

Topics: Cross; Jesus Christ; Love; Purpose; Sacrifice; Unselfishness

Reference: Philippians 2:5–11

On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac. Ice on the wings prevented the plane from having a successful takeoff. Almost all of the passengers perished. The few that survived struggled in the icy river as rescuers tried to reach them.

Five times a helicopter dropped a rope to save Arland D. Williams Jr. Five times Williams passed the rope to other passengers in worse shape than he was. When the rope was extended to Williams the sixth time, he was too weak to take hold and succumbed to the frigid waters.

His heroism was not rash. Aware that his own strength was fading, he deliberately handed hope to someone else over the space of several minutes. The bridge near where he died has now been named the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.

Jesus did not rashly give his life for us either. Being a sacrifice for us was his destiny from eternity past. We need only take the lifeline handed to us to be saved by his sacrificial death on the cross.

—David A. Slagle, “Giving Hope and Life Away,” PreachingToday.com