He went to pull himself out of the cold water and on to the raft but discovered his ‎parachute had sunk beneath him and was holding him down. The parachute along with ‎the injury to his back and his legs made it impossible for him to climb out of the freezing ‎water. All he could do was to hang onto the side of the raft and hope help would arrive ‎before the intensely cold water drained his life away.‎
‎  The rescue helicopter flew at top speed to the last reported location of the plane. Rain ‎and low clouds made it difficult to see. Making a low pass over the area they spotted the ‎pilot clinging to the side of the raft. ‎
‎  In twelve years of service the pilot of the Coast Guard helicopter had never attempted ‎a rescue in such bad weather conditions. However, he along with all the members of his ‎crew knew if they didnt act quickly the man below them in the water would perish. So ‎hovering fifteen feet over the wave tips he directed his rescue swimmer, Lieutenant Kelly ‎Mogk, to jump into the water. With a splash she landed several yards away from the raft ‎and struggling against the wind and the waves swam to it.‎
‎  She saw up close his face had a bluish tint to it, and he wore a blank expression on his ‎face. These were telltale signs of a falling body temperature cause by the bitter cold ‎water. She grabbed him by one of his hands and yelled at him to squeeze. When he was ‎barely able to apply any pressure she had no doubt he was close to death. She tried to ‎push him out of the water onto the raft but something was holding him back. Diving ‎under the raft she discovered that his sunken parachute was pulling him down, and, ‎further complicating the situation, the chords had become tangled up in his legs.‎
  Lt. Mogk drew her knife from its sheath and repeatedly dove under the raft and sliced ‎away at the chords. On one of these dives her wet suit sprung a leak. The icy cold water ‎began to numb her limbs also. Every time she dove she ran the risk of getting tangled up ‎in the chords and drowning herself. At last, the chords were cut free and she was able to ‎hoist him onto the raft. The flight mechanic lowered a cable with a harness attached to it ‎from the open door of the helicopter. Exhausted, Lt. Mogk secured the man into the ‎harness and watched as he was hoisted up into the helicopter. The man needed medical ‎help, and fast, if he were going to survive.

‎To save precious moments, the helicopter sped ‎off leaving Lt. Mogk behind floating on the tiny raft. Another helicopter sent out from ‎the base would have to pick her up later.‎
  This exciting rescue of the F4 pilot is a fitting illustration of sinners getting saved by ‎the Lord Jesus. The downed pilot hanging onto the side of the raft in the icy cold water ‎had no strength to save himself. Sinners have no strength to save themselves either. ‎‎When we were yet without strength, Gods Word says, Christ died for the ungodly. ‎You see, the sins we have done have entangled us in chords so strong that there is no ‎getting free of them by our own efforts. Those sins are pulling every unsaved person ‎downwards away from God and heaven, and towards a lost eternity. One sin is enough to ‎sink a sinner to hell, and we have committed many more than one.‎
‎  But God in his love has made a way that lost sinners might be saved. He sent his Son ‎into the world to die in the sinners place. Because the Lord Jesus made the perfect ‎sacrifice for sin on the cross, all who call out to him will be saved. Whosoever shall call ‎on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.‎
‎ On the cross, the just One suffered for the unjust, that they might be saved. He bore ‎Gods wrath against sin for all those who would believe on him. The moment a sinner ‎believes on him, the sins that held him fast are cut away and cast into the deepest part of ‎the ocean never to be brought up again. Thy sins and iniquities I will remember no ‎more, God says of all those who place their trust in the Savior. In Jesus Christ, sinners ‎who once were on their way to a lost eternity are forgiven, pardoned and justified, all ‎because of what he did at the cross.‎
‎  It was a great rescue that day when they plucked that man from the North Pacific. But ‎a greater rescue by far takes place whenever a sinner trusts in the Lord Jesus.‎
‎  Oh wont you believe on him so that wonderful work the Lord Jesus did on the cross ‎might be applied on your account? Then like a young person of old who was filled with ‎wonder at the Gods working, you too might exclaim, My spirit rejoices in God my ‎SaviorFor he that is mighty hath to me done great things, and holy is his name.‎
‎ Call out to him in faith today and he will surely save you.‎ B.P.