“Drop Your Bucket!”
Good News –July/August 2017 – Grace & Truth Magazine
“Drop Your Bucket!”
Many years ago a sailing ship set out from Europe toward a South American port. Due to the misfortune of storms and other difficulties, the voyage was prolonged to the point that the ship’s water supply was running low. In spite of careful conservation, the crew eventually found themselves with no drinking water.
A few days later as they were in a quiet sea under suffocating heat they were overjoyed and greatly relieved to encounter another ship. As they approached they raised their message flags announcing their desperate situation: “We are dying for lack of water!”
The crew was shocked at the response, which appeared to mock their plight: “The water is all around you; drop your bucket!” They had no idea that in that moment they were crossing the powerful ocean current of the Amazon; all around them was sweet, fresh water, even though they were far from land. You see, the Amazon River sends so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that it makes several miles of the ocean completely drinkable.
Like the crew without water, perhaps you find yourself in a similar, difficult situation – without any hope. You may exclaim, “What must I do to be saved?” – not realizing that the current of God’s love flows powerfully in the ocean of your life all around you. Drop your bucket! “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NKJV ).
“‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:8-9).
It is a simple thing, and very much within your reach. The Lord has made it all possible to you. He paid the very high price for your sins on the cross in order that you might quench your burning thirst for life and cancel your eternal death. In the words of the Bible that you just read is the key to your eternal blessing and joy. Read them again, aloud.
You may never have had so near to you the opportunity for salvation. Avail yourself of God’s promise and drink to the full now!
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:14).
“Jesus said, ‘... he who believes in Me shall never thirst’” (6:35).
“He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb [Jesus] ... Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:1,17).
If you really want to, you can pray something like this: “Lord Jesus, I confess that you are Lord and that you took the punishment for my sins. I believe with all my heart that God raised you from the dead. Please save me. Thank you for doing this for me. Amen.” We can tell you more.
A variation of this tract is available as Spanish tract #128, available from Grace & Truth.