MILLIONS OF AMERICANS were RIVETED to their television sets in October of 1987 as rescuers worked feverishly to save “Baby Jessica,” a one-year-old girl from Midland, Texas, who found an abandoned well shaft in her aunt’s backyard, fell into the 8-inch hole, and plunged 22 feet down the pipe…

As word spread of Jessica’s plight, the residents of Midland literally stopped what they were doing to offer whatever assistance they could in the rescue operation, or to just stand by and offer moral support.

Our nation watched as rescue crews and volunteer citizens joined hands to dig a shaft parallel to the one that trapped Jessica.

The rescue effort was hampered by a layer of super-hard rock.  However, the rescuers were spurred on by the sound of Jessica’s cry which could be heard from beneath the surface.  Her moan from beneath served as an encouragement to rally the troops to do whatever was necessary to save her.

For 58 1/2 long hours, they worked and worked.  When paramedics finally covered a terrified Jessica with gobs of petroleum jelly and slid her out of the pipe into freedom, and the flood of bright television lights, an entire nation cheered in union at her salvation.

THOUGHT:  Although we cannot rescue souls who have already died and gone to torment, we can be motivated by their anguished cries (cf. Luke 16.24, 28) to work diligently to keep those who are still living on earth from going to that awful place.  BJ Clarke

“And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Luke 16.23-24

Mike Benson