Boy Survives in Wilderness by Obeying Father’s Instructions
More than ninety people conducted an ALL-NIGHT SEARCH for an eight-year-old boy named Dominic. While on a skiing trip with his father, this little boy apparently had ridden a new lift and skied off the run without realizing it. They hoped to find Dominic somewhere on the snowy mountain slope before it was too late.
As each hour passed, the search party and the boy’s family became more and more concerned. By dawn they still had found no trace of him. Two helicopters joined the search, and within fifteen minutes had spotted ski tracks. A ground team followed the tracks which changed to small footprints. The footprints led to a tree where they found the boy at last.
“He’s in super shape,” Sgt. Terry Silbaugh, area search and rescue Coordinator, announced to the anxious family and press. "In fact, he’s in better shape than we are right now." A hospital spokesman said the boy was in fine condition and was not even admitted.
Silbaugh explained why the boy did so well despite spending a night in the freezing elements: His father had enough forethought to warn the boy what to do if he became lost, and his son had enough trust to do exactly what his father said.
Dominic protected himself from possible frostbite and hypothermia by snuggling up to a tree and covering himself with branches. As a young child he never would have thought of doing this on his own. He was simply obeying his wise and loving father.
God is not telling us to abide in the Son by abiding in His word for His good but for ours. The question is are we listening with the intent to obey?
From a sermon by Dennis Davidson, How To Dwell In Jesus’ Love, 11/2/2009