The Rush
You’ve always wanted
to skydive, but the thought scared you too much to try
it. That is, until you met someone who had made over
100 jumps. He talked you into it by explaining how safe
it was. His enthusiasm was contagious. He spoke of the
freedom of falling through the air ...the adrenaline
rush...the unspeakable exhilaration. Now you are standing
on the edge of a plane, looking down on the earth far,
far be-low.
Everything has been checked. Double-checked. This is
safer than driving on the freeway—a thought that
helps you deal with the fear. Modern parachutes are
state-of-the-art. Besides, there is a backup chute.
Still, your heart is beating with apprehension. Suddenly,
you jump! You have trained so much for this moment,
you instinctively spread your hands and legs. The speed
is unbelievable. The power of the air forcing itself
against your body is incredible. It’s like a dream.
You are defying the law of gravity, racing through the
air at more than 120 mph!
The earth is coming closer. All normal sense of time
lost. Speed, thrust of air, unspeakable joy. You glance
at the altimeter on your wrist. Only another ten seconds
and you will pull the rip cord and feel the jolt of
the parachute opening. All that you had been told was
true. The adrenaline rush is like nothing you have experienced.
If only it could last a little longer. Reluctantly,
you pull the cord. It opens, but there is no jolt!
You tilt your head back to see a horrifying sight:
the parachute has twisted and is trailing like a flapping
streamer. Your heart races with fear, pounding in your
chest. Your eyes bulge in terror. Your chest heaves
as you gasp for air. You try to keep a clear mind and
remember your training...pull the second cord. Nothing
happens! You pull again. Again! Harder. Harder! Nothing.
Your throat lets out a scream, a groan of panic. Your
heart is pounding so hard you think your chest will
burst. Sweat breaks through your skin. A thousand thoughts
speed through your mind. Your family! Your fate!...Safer
than driving on the freeway! You whisper, “What
a fool I was ...to think that I could defy the law of
gravity.” Now a merciless law waits for the moment
of impact. The ground accelerates toward you. No words
can describe the terror gripping your mind.
A voice is speaking to you. It is the voice of good
sense. It is the voice you ignored so often: “You
have played the fool. You have given up your life, your
most precious possession, for a cheap thrill. You have
exchanged your loved ones for a rush of adrenaline.
What a fool ...what a fool!” One word stands alone
to describe how you feel about what you’ve done.
One word screams within the corridors of your terrified
mind as the earth races toward you, as death readies
to embrace you. One word, a word that you have never
understood fully until this moment. That terrible word
is remorse!
The world, the flesh, and the devil whisper to you
about how pleasurable sin is. That God isn’t angry
at sin. God is love. It is safe to jump into the arms
of iniquity and abandon yourself to a free fall through
its vast domain. You go where angels fear to tread.
But it is worth it. The rush is everything sin promised.
You drink in iniquity like water. You love the darkness.
Conscience speaks again and again, but you ignore its
warning. You are defying the Moral Law and loving every
minute.
Now you stand before the Judge on Judgment Day. You
pull your first line by telling God what a good person
you are. Nothing happens. The Moral Law rushes at you.
In panic, you pull the second line and tell God that
you believed in Him. Again, nothing happens. It is no
use. Your mouth is stopped. The Moral Law accelerates
toward you even faster, promising to so impact you that
it will “grind you to powder” (Luke 20:18).
Death and hell wait to embrace you. Unspeakable terror
fills your heart. Conscience speaks so clearly now:
“What a fool you have been. You rejected the mercy
of God in Jesus Christ. You have given up your loved
ones in exchange for the joys of a sinful lifestyle.
You relinquished your most precious possession, your
very life, for the cheap thrill of sin. What a fool!
What a fool!” One word will stay with you for
eternity. One word alone will echo forever within your
tormented mind. Remorse! You whisper the word, “Remorse...remorse.”
Suddenly you are staring at the ceiling of your bedroom,
still mouthing the word through dry lips. Remorse! The
sheets are soaked with sweat. It was just a dream. You
look out the window and see the sun breaking through
the green trees. It was just a dream! It’s morning
now. A peaceful new day. Today’s the day you go
skydiving. It will be your first time. |