Harvesters
The harvest is
plentiful but the workers are few.
Matthew 9:37
John Harper and his six-year-old
daughter, Nana, were on board the Titanic that fateful night in 1912.
According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent the ship
was sinking Harper took his daughter to a lifeboat, bent down and
kissed her saying, “We will see each other again someday.” With
that he set out to follow God’s leading.
Harper was seen making his way up the
splintering deck yelling, "Women, children and unsaved into the
lifeboats!" Harper, as well as many others jumped off the decks
and into the dark, ice-cold waters below as the Titanic began to
split apart.
John Harper was seen swimming
frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus. Rev. Harper
swam up to one young man floating on a piece of debris, and asked him
between breaths, "Are you saved?" The young man replied he
was not. Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the
young man reject the offer. Harper then took off his life jacket and
threw it to the man saying, "Here then, you need this more than
I do..." and swam away trying to save others. Minutes later an
exhausted Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading
him to salvation. That young man was later rescued.
Four years later, at a survivors
meeting, this young man stood up and, through tears, recounted how
after John Harper led him to Christ, Harper had tried to swim back to
help other people. As John Harper drowned his last words echoed above
the frigid waters, "Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus and
you will be saved."
†
God asked John Harper to give unsaved
people one final chance at salvation. Harper obeyed because he was a
harvester for Christ. We also have that privilege.
People are perishing at a rate of
155,000 a day worldwide. Among them is no shortage of lost souls.
Jesus, through today’s text,
challenges us to plunge into spiritual waters among those going down
without salvation, and offer them the One and only Life Preserver.
May our words, as John Harper’s, echo
above the cold, dark waters, "Believe on the Name of the Lord
Jesus and you will be saved."
Prayer
“Show me those who are
drowning without knowing You, Lord. And give me the courage to
approach them and tell them about Your sacrifice. Amen.”
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