Thought for the Month - January 2014

"Escape from the deep" by Barry Adair
(Up from the grave he arose!)

It happened in May '13 but the full story of the miraculous escape of Harrison Okene from his watery imprisonment only "surfaced" recently. After the tugboat Harrison was stationed on sank off the coast of West Africa, the ship's cook was trapped in an air pocket some 100 feet (30m) under the Atlantic Ocean for almost 3 days. The full story was unveiled by a video released at the end of 2013 by the diving company involved. This video has gone viral on YouTube and you can watch it at the end of this Thought.

Here is the story from the Times, explaining how it all came about…

As the temperature dropped to freezing, Mr Okene, dressed only in boxer shorts, recited the last psalm his wife sent by text message: "Oh God, by your name, save me… The Lord sustains my life."

He believes his rescue after 72 hours underwater at a depth of about 100ft is a sign of divine deliverance. The other 11 seamen aboard the Jascon died.

Divers were looking only for bodies, according to Tony Walker, project manager for the Dutch company DCN Diving.

The divers had already pulled up four bodies so, when a hand appeared on the TV screen Mr Walker was monitoring in the rescue boat, showing what the diver in the Jascon saw, everybody assumed it was another corpse.

"The diver acknowledged that he had seen the hand and then, when he went to grab the hand, the hand grabbed him!"

Once free of the sunken boat, Harrison was put into a decompression chamber and then safely returned to the surface. It has now emerged that Castlight Pictures has secured the worldwide rights of Harrison Okene's harrowing story. So this story may be coming to a cinema near you soon!

This incredible escape from such a precarious situation reminded me of a couple of things which I'll get to later. However, this story about rescue was also one of grim recovery. There were 12 crewmen on the Jascon tugboat and all but one of them perished. I thought about those 11 men and in particular their grieving families and friends.

As I write this Thought the Christmas festivities are in full swing. With the story above still in mind, I thought about those who won't be taking part in all the celebrations. There are those whose lives are governed by darkness, despair and deep turmoil. Some will have lost loved ones where the void left behind is simply unfillable. Think about the families of the 11 seamen who perished!

Others, perhaps even reading this Thought, may feel totally trapped in their own hellish mental prison. From their viewpoint there is simply no hope. If you only take one thing away from reading this Thought, please remember this…

With God, rescue is possible, even where an escape appears incredibly remote.

I am blessed not to have experienced depression, but perhaps Harrison's nightmarish feelings of despair, fear, loneliness and hopelessness over those 3 days may resonate with millions across the world.

My mind drifted to the story of Jonah. He was also trapped for 3 days, swallowed by a 'large fish'. However when Jonah cried out to God from his tomb, God intervened and Jonah was restored.

I also thought about the Lord Jesus Christ and how he was in the earth for 3 days. He had just endured the cross because of mankind's sin. But God the Father ensured that Jesus would not remain there. And today Jesus sits at God's right hand side in Heaven, petitioning His Father on our behalf.

I cannot imagine the horrors experienced by the 3 days in all of these scenarios - but what about those who have been suffering mental anguish for 3 years, or maybe even 30 years? I just cannot contemplate these situations but could I repeat what I said earlier (and I believe it with all of my heart)…

With God, rescue is possible, even where an escape appears incredibly remote.

At the start of a new year, please remember that all things are possible with God on your side. He will want to reach out to you whatever your situation might be.

Give Him your hurts and fears. Give Him your anguish and despair. Give Him your loneliness and your hopelessness.

Trust Him with your very life…

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
Into the joy and pleasure, Thine own,
Jesus, I come to Thee!
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the flock Thy love doth enfold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee!

(Author: William True Sleeper)

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble (literally, "in tight places"). (Psalm 46:1)

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. (Psalm 54:4, NIV)

To watch the video of Harrison Okene's rescue, just go here…

Happy New Year and a peaceful 2014 from all at 'the Grove'

(All Bible quotations are from the NASB unless stated)

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!