Sand holes can be dangerous according to experts.  If the walls cave in, the sand becomes compact trapping anyone in the hole under a tremendous weight.  If a person’s head is covered by the heavy sand, it can be fatal due to oxygen deprivation.

As the tide encroached, first responders took their shovels and dug the girl out of the sand.  It took about 20 minutes to get her out.  Thankfully, the girl was unharmed. *

Because of our sinful choices, we become trapped, unable to free ourselves from the “weight” of our sins.  James uses the imagery of fish being attracted to bait to describe the process: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).

When we were trapped under the deadly weight of sin, God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to rescue us (John 3:16).  In order to save us from sin and give us eternal life, Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the price for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19).  He died to set us free from the bondage of sin.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and therefore we are trapped.  Yet we can be “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24 ESV).

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Jesus said everyone who commits sin becomes a slave to sin (John 8:34), trapped!  But Jesus will rescue us if we will only accept His offer through our trusting obedience.

-- David A. Sargent