Up from the PIt

'A Planet inspired...' so ran one of the headlines in a British newspaper today as  the world it seems caught up in the joy of families reunited after the long ordeeal of the men traapped in the Chilean mine. 'We were waiting for death, we were consuming ourselves,' said one of the men. Another said, 'I was with God and I was with the devil, they fought me and God won.' Under the pressures of life underground there were doubtless moments of heroism and of despair. No doubt there will be tears, confusion, and time needed to readjust to life under the sun. But we rejoice in the happy outcome to this very human drama.

Of course as Christians we not only rejoice with the familes who have been reconciled to their loved ones, but we see in their expereince a parable of our own. How often we have sung the words of Psalm 40:2, 'He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.' We too have been rescued from the pit of our despair and dakness and brought into the light of life. As the miners gave their testimonies to God's goodness, however they meant them, we pray that the Spirit of God would use their words to penetrate hearts and minds especially in our cynical West. 

Perhaps most moving of all was the sight of the wives and children, and the obvious emotion of the Chilean President as the men reached the surface. How much greater joy there  is among the angels when one sinner is reached and rescued for God.