Ultimate Sacrifice

Ultimate Sacrifice. I read a story today about a father that made the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of his three daughters. A Tennessee family was vacationing in Florida when the man’s youngest daughter got caught in a riptide out in the ocean. The man’s two older daughters went out to help their younger sister and they too got caught in the riptide. The father and another man paddled out on boards to rescue the girls and he lost consciousness on the way back to shore and later died.

I have always wondered what adrenaline must kick in as a parent when our children are in serious danger, life threatening danger. This man’s quick actions to save his children ultimately cost him his own. He sacrificed his life in exchange for the possibility of saving the lives of his daughters. His wife and his daughters now have to go on with their lives without him, but the assurance they have of his love for them has been proven.

I believe almost every parent would lay down their own lives to save the lives of their children, of course there are some that would not. But what about laying down our lives for just a friend, or maybe even a stranger, would we do that?  Some would without thinking twice. The very words of the Apostle Paul touch on this very topic, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:7-8.

Jesus made mention of it as well, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13. Jesus Christ laid down His perfect, sinless life in our place so that we may take on His righteousness when we accept Him as our Savior. There is no greater love that that; to lay down your life for those that are your “enemies” to give them the opportunity to become your “friends”.

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." - John 10:17-18.

Have a great day and God bless.