Stephen Ellison, the British consul-general in Chongqing, China, was walking by a river last Saturday in the nearby ancient town of Zhongshan when he heard a woman screaming.  He quickly assessed the situation and saw a young woman floating in the river.  The 24-year-old woman, a college student, had just slipped into the river, and “it was pretty evident quite quickly that she was in trouble; she couldn't swim,” Ellison told the BBC.

Ellison jumped in the river to rescue her.  As he swam to her, an onlooker threw a flotation device into the water near them.  Ellison, holding to the unconscious woman, was able to swim to the life-ring, and bystanders pulled them to the riverbank.

“Thanks to the rescue, the student soon resumed breathing and regained consciousness,” Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

“There was not a lot of time to do anything other than to get in,” Ellison told the BBC.  For his efforts, Ellison, 61, is being hailed as a hero.  No one could be more grateful than the young woman that he saved from drowning. *

When we were drowning in our sins, Jesus came to our rescue.  Unable to save ourselves, Jesus gave His life for us so that we could live (1 Thessalonians 5:10).  If we will accept His offer of salvation, He will give us eternal life, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God will save 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).

Of all the people that were witnesses to the woman drowning in the river, why did Ellison jump in to try to rescue her?  It must have been because he saw someone who needed help, believed he could help her, and cared enough to jump in.

Why did Jesus die on the cross to rescue us from sin and death?  Because He loves us.  Only He could save us.

“Why did He drink the bitter cup
Of sorrow, pain and woe?
Why on the cross be lifted up?
Because He loved me so!”
-- John G. Dailey

And He loves YOU so.  He wants to save you from sin and give you eternal life in heaven.  Won’t you accept His offer on His terms?

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “British diplomat rescues drowning student in China” by Joshua Berlinger of CNN, www.cnn.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org