Four-year-old Yasmeen “Nina” Saleh got stuck in her doll stroller.  If you see the video clip that her mother took, you’ll wonder how she got it stuck around her waist.  But stuck it was, and Nina’s mother couldn’t get her out of it, so she called the police for help.

Two Paramus, New Jersey Police Department Officers, Robert Sobocinski and Ben Fox, arrived at the scene.  Nina’s mother videoed the officers while they looked at the stroller to see how they could remove it from around the little girl.

Nina got scared a few times as the officers looked at the stroller from different angles.  She feared that they might hurt her in the process of removing it.  The officers spoke calmly with her, telling her not to be afraid.

After carefully examining the situation, the officers determined that if they could break a particular piece of plastic on the stroller, then they could remove it from Nina.  They broke the piece of plastic, splitting the stroller into two parts, freeing the relieved little girl.  “Thank you so much!” Nina exclaimed as she stepped away from the stroller.

The officers left, but one of them would return later.  On their lunch break, Sobocinski and Fox went to Target and purchased a similar stroller for Nina.  Sobocinski returned to Nina’s home to present her with the new stroller.  Nina was elated! *

Nina’s release pictures our salvation from sin.  Jesus, the Son of God, came to our rescue.  He “gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4 NASB).

We must simply cooperate with Jesus as He “does His work” of delivering us from our sins.  He accomplished our redemption on the cross when He died for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).  He has promised to wash us from our sins when we accept His offer of salvation and a new, eternal life, on His terms (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 1:7-9).

And what should be our response to God’s amazing grace that frees us from sin and death?  Like Nina after her release and receiving her new stroller, it should be overwhelming gratitude!  Christ not only frees us from the bondage of sin; He also gives a new life and eternal life to come!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Won’t YOU accept the liberating gift of God’s grace on His terms?

-- David A. Sargent

Information gleaned from “New Jersey police officers rescue girl from doll stroller, buy her a new one” by Ann W. Schmidt, www.foxnews.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