Squeak, squeak was the sound my rubber sandals made as
the sand on my feet mixed with the cold salty water of the coming tide of the
sea. Here I stand on the shore, my weight slowly shifting as my feet are moved
under when the sand starts to melt when the water makes contact with it. I
stare over the horizon and through my darkly shaded sun glasses I somehow can’t
see the beauty in front of me, the perfect simplicity of the path I was on. But
as I continued to walk down the beach I began to feel less and less satisfied
with my walk with God. My friends walked with me down the hot sandy beach, and
they seem happy, laughing and enjoying each other’s company as they talked and
debated religion and scripture. But I can’t feel the happiness they do, they
seem so content on this road we were taking, but I had become board with it and
longed for something new and different. I take off my sunglasses and I see the
beautiful ocean and long to go swimming and see all the new and different
things that the waters had to offer. But we had long ago been forbidden to
tread these waters of sin and death and we were warned of the consequences if
we disobeyed. But to me I didn’t see sin and death, I saw beauty, a sparkling
allure that called out to me whispering my name, beckoning me to swim towards
it. As I continued to look over the water I saw a far ways out, what looked to
be a beautiful cave. How exciting it would be to discover its wonders and
secrets. It wouldn’t hurt if I took a quick look and came back, would it? I
looked back down the shore, my companions were now far down the beach from me,
I could probably make it back before they even noticed I had left.
Step by step I walked into the sea, the water cooling my body as I submerged deeper and deeper. Now I’ve gone so far I’m barely able to walk on ocean floor beneath me. I hear panicked screams from the shore, it’s my friends, and they’d noticed my absence and located me. None of them jumped in after me to bring me back, they were all too scared of the consequences for disobeying God’s law. I heard their yells to me, they plead with me to come back saying, “It’s not worth it! Come back to your Lord and Savior and ask for forgiveness for straying from the path!” But somehow the words didn’t register in my mind and my conscience seemed broken or something. The desire for the pleasure that came with sin was all I could think of, and I started to swim faster towards the cave. In my mind I saw a pretty sparkling cove of wonder, but I was blinded, in reality it was a place of death. The once beautiful day quickly turned bleak. Dark grey storm clouds formed over the ocean and thunder started to roll, it looked like any minute it would start to rain. So I swam harder to get to my paradise destination I thought I was sure to find. Almost to the entrance of the cave, I look behind me and could no longer see the shore for the fog had gotten very thick. Excited to finally reach my destination I swam inside, the light was dimmer than I thought it would be. I swam deeper and deeper into the darkness of the cave. As I wade through the wet cave I marvel at the sights I saw, sparkling gems and gold embedded into the rocks around me, but in reality it is one of the scariest places a person can lay eyes on. The cave was filled with sharp rocks, skeletons and the smell of death; it is no wonder why we were warned to stay away from this place. But somehow I find a strong appeal to my hiding place and I have no desire to leave the alluring beauty that I perceived. But not long after I went into the large entrance the tide began to come up and the water started to rise around me, and yet here I float in peace, about to drown in sin and death with a strange sense of no fear of my coming fate. But there is a small whisper in my ear telling me to get up and swim to safety as fast as I can, but the darkness around me keeps me anchored here in danger of the coming flood that would bring about my death. I can feel the water coming up to my shoulders and slowly more and more water laps into the cave, I look back at the once large welcoming entrance, where there is now only a small flicker of light left at the opening of the cave, the dark waters have almost completely engulfed all around me. The cave lights up when the lightning strikes outside, but I don't seem to notice. So here I am, having yet to decide if I drown in pain and regret, or struggle out of the darkness for another chance at life. I remember my friends on the shore that warned me not to go into cave of fleshly desires, but I ignored their wise advice and did as I wished. If I listened I could still hear their faint cries from the safety of the shore, they are crying, begging and pleading with me to come back to the safety and comfort of solid ground that comes with the forgiveness and trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So what am I waiting for? Why do I wait here for someone to rescue me from the troubles I’ve made for myself? Am I expecting a courageous hero to swoop me off to safety? Truly I don’t know why I stay here waiting to drown to death. Now I’ve almost lost the strength and will power to do anything to stop my fate. But then, as the dark waters continue to rise up to my nose and eyes and water starts fills my lungs. I struggle for air and as I start to feel closer and closer to death, I feel a ghostly presence and hear the Devil’s evil echoing laugh as he sneers saying, “I’ve won! I’ve trapped your soul and corned you into this cave of sin and death you will never escape from! See you in hell sucker!” Chills run up my spine as the whole cave shook from the thunder and lightening and I realize that this was my fate, my punishment for letting myself be lured into the cave of fleshly desires. The thought of my soul being so close to torment in the flames of hell for all eternity scared me so greatly that I start to scream and cry out to God for some kind of rescue from what seemed like certain death. I cried out with the little strength I had left and said, “Oh God! Forgive me of my sin! Please save me from death and hell!!” As I plead out to God, I struggle to swim back to the entrance of the cave. It was much harder trying to get out of the cave than it was getting in. By now the water had completely filled the cove and there was only a little air left in my lungs. I continue to swim with all of my might fighting for another breath of air, but I open my eyes look at my goal ahead of me and realize just how far into the cave I had waded. I swim up in hope of one last breath of air to help me push forward. My head bangs against the rock ceiling and I press my wet lips to the surface of the water and take my last deep breath. The current pushes me back under the tide but I still try to swim towards the entrance, I push with all my might and swim as hard as I can, but my little strength is not enough to get me to my goal. My life flashes before my eyes as I feel the water entering my lungs once again. I guess the Devil was right; I would not be able to save myself from this peril. Just then, as I started to feel light headed and I could feel my soul start to leave my body, a strong hand took hold of mine and pulled me out of the dark cave and to the light on the surface of the ocean. I gasp for air and look for my savior, but I am alone.
I look towards the shore, the fog had cleared and I could see my friends and family crying for joy that I had made it out alive! They jumped around on shore as they waited for me to swim back to them, they cheered as I made it back on land. They dark clouds had rolled away and the sun was shining again. My friends chastise me for leaving in the first place, but are still overjoyed that I am alive. I told them about the hand that saved me when there was no hope and I was doomed, but they looked puzzled and assured me that no one had left the beach and they only person they saw out at sea was myself. From the shore I look back at the once deceptive alluring cove that nearly took my life. Now I could see it for what it really was, a shortcut to hell. I knew that God had spared my life that day and sent an angel to save me. I questioned why I ever left in the first place and promised myself to never be so easily led away from the path ever again.
Abigail Prudence
Step by step I walked into the sea, the water cooling my body as I submerged deeper and deeper. Now I’ve gone so far I’m barely able to walk on ocean floor beneath me. I hear panicked screams from the shore, it’s my friends, and they’d noticed my absence and located me. None of them jumped in after me to bring me back, they were all too scared of the consequences for disobeying God’s law. I heard their yells to me, they plead with me to come back saying, “It’s not worth it! Come back to your Lord and Savior and ask for forgiveness for straying from the path!” But somehow the words didn’t register in my mind and my conscience seemed broken or something. The desire for the pleasure that came with sin was all I could think of, and I started to swim faster towards the cave. In my mind I saw a pretty sparkling cove of wonder, but I was blinded, in reality it was a place of death. The once beautiful day quickly turned bleak. Dark grey storm clouds formed over the ocean and thunder started to roll, it looked like any minute it would start to rain. So I swam harder to get to my paradise destination I thought I was sure to find. Almost to the entrance of the cave, I look behind me and could no longer see the shore for the fog had gotten very thick. Excited to finally reach my destination I swam inside, the light was dimmer than I thought it would be. I swam deeper and deeper into the darkness of the cave. As I wade through the wet cave I marvel at the sights I saw, sparkling gems and gold embedded into the rocks around me, but in reality it is one of the scariest places a person can lay eyes on. The cave was filled with sharp rocks, skeletons and the smell of death; it is no wonder why we were warned to stay away from this place. But somehow I find a strong appeal to my hiding place and I have no desire to leave the alluring beauty that I perceived. But not long after I went into the large entrance the tide began to come up and the water started to rise around me, and yet here I float in peace, about to drown in sin and death with a strange sense of no fear of my coming fate. But there is a small whisper in my ear telling me to get up and swim to safety as fast as I can, but the darkness around me keeps me anchored here in danger of the coming flood that would bring about my death. I can feel the water coming up to my shoulders and slowly more and more water laps into the cave, I look back at the once large welcoming entrance, where there is now only a small flicker of light left at the opening of the cave, the dark waters have almost completely engulfed all around me. The cave lights up when the lightning strikes outside, but I don't seem to notice. So here I am, having yet to decide if I drown in pain and regret, or struggle out of the darkness for another chance at life. I remember my friends on the shore that warned me not to go into cave of fleshly desires, but I ignored their wise advice and did as I wished. If I listened I could still hear their faint cries from the safety of the shore, they are crying, begging and pleading with me to come back to the safety and comfort of solid ground that comes with the forgiveness and trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So what am I waiting for? Why do I wait here for someone to rescue me from the troubles I’ve made for myself? Am I expecting a courageous hero to swoop me off to safety? Truly I don’t know why I stay here waiting to drown to death. Now I’ve almost lost the strength and will power to do anything to stop my fate. But then, as the dark waters continue to rise up to my nose and eyes and water starts fills my lungs. I struggle for air and as I start to feel closer and closer to death, I feel a ghostly presence and hear the Devil’s evil echoing laugh as he sneers saying, “I’ve won! I’ve trapped your soul and corned you into this cave of sin and death you will never escape from! See you in hell sucker!” Chills run up my spine as the whole cave shook from the thunder and lightening and I realize that this was my fate, my punishment for letting myself be lured into the cave of fleshly desires. The thought of my soul being so close to torment in the flames of hell for all eternity scared me so greatly that I start to scream and cry out to God for some kind of rescue from what seemed like certain death. I cried out with the little strength I had left and said, “Oh God! Forgive me of my sin! Please save me from death and hell!!” As I plead out to God, I struggle to swim back to the entrance of the cave. It was much harder trying to get out of the cave than it was getting in. By now the water had completely filled the cove and there was only a little air left in my lungs. I continue to swim with all of my might fighting for another breath of air, but I open my eyes look at my goal ahead of me and realize just how far into the cave I had waded. I swim up in hope of one last breath of air to help me push forward. My head bangs against the rock ceiling and I press my wet lips to the surface of the water and take my last deep breath. The current pushes me back under the tide but I still try to swim towards the entrance, I push with all my might and swim as hard as I can, but my little strength is not enough to get me to my goal. My life flashes before my eyes as I feel the water entering my lungs once again. I guess the Devil was right; I would not be able to save myself from this peril. Just then, as I started to feel light headed and I could feel my soul start to leave my body, a strong hand took hold of mine and pulled me out of the dark cave and to the light on the surface of the ocean. I gasp for air and look for my savior, but I am alone.
I look towards the shore, the fog had cleared and I could see my friends and family crying for joy that I had made it out alive! They jumped around on shore as they waited for me to swim back to them, they cheered as I made it back on land. They dark clouds had rolled away and the sun was shining again. My friends chastise me for leaving in the first place, but are still overjoyed that I am alive. I told them about the hand that saved me when there was no hope and I was doomed, but they looked puzzled and assured me that no one had left the beach and they only person they saw out at sea was myself. From the shore I look back at the once deceptive alluring cove that nearly took my life. Now I could see it for what it really was, a shortcut to hell. I knew that God had spared my life that day and sent an angel to save me. I questioned why I ever left in the first place and promised myself to never be so easily led away from the path ever again.
Abigail Prudence
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