Rescue the perishing
September 8, 2006
By Gary Rogers
On July 30, 1945, at 14 minutes past midnight, the USS Indianapolis was hit by two torpedoes out of six fired by a Japanese submarine. One of the torpedoes hit near the middle of the ship on the starboard side close to a fuel tank and powder magazine. The resulting explosion split the ship, and within minutes she went down.
About 900 out of some 1,196 aboard the Indianapolis made it into the water. Most of the survivors were wearing the standard kapok life jackets. With sunrise the shark attacks began. Of the 900 who survived the sinking of the Indianapolis, only 317 remained alive after five days of constant shark attacks, starvation, dehydration, and exposure to the elements.
On the fourth day Lt. R. Adrian Marks was dispatched to the scene after the survivors were accidentally discovered by a bomber flying overhead. Lt. Marks, flying a seaplane, had standing orders not to land his plane at sea. But when he saw the men in the water being attacked by sharks he could not hold back.
Lt. Marks landed his plane and began to pick up stragglers and lone swimmers who were at greatest risk. As the black of night came, Marks and his crew had rescued 56 men. The plane’s fuselage was full and survivors were tied to the wing with parachute cord. They waited for sunrise. The naval destroyer the USS Cecil Doyle arrived the next day.
The actions of Lt. R. Adrian Marks represent the role of Christians today. When we look upon the devastation of lives being torn apart by the spiritual sharks of sin, self, Satan, and the world’s dominion it should move us to action.
It should be impossible for us to fly overhead in our protected life of blessing in the Lord and look down and see the terrible sight of lives being torn apart and do nothing. Like Lt. Marks, we must take the risk, get out of our comfort zone, stretch our resources, and rescue as many as we possibly can.
When Jesus arrives we want to be able to present to Him a ship full of survivors ready for the trip to heaven.
Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.
