A story of tragedy and death in Colorado illustrates a redemptive truth which brings life and vitality to our lives: The lone survivor of a Colorado rockslide that buried five people under tons of rock was a teenage girl, whose father sacrificed his own life to protect her, according to the local sheriff’s office (see that story here – http://bigstory.ap.org/article/5-hikers-killed-colo-rock-slide-easy-trail). It seems that just as the massive cliff broke loose, the father covered the daughter with his own body to shield her from the pounding rock slide.

One author noted that our deliverance from spiritual death and eternal separation from God is due to His sacrificial act of love on our behalf (see his story here – http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/news/2013/oct/10/tony-elder-we-can-only-receive-redemption-from/). Jesus put His body in the path of the crushing weights of sin on us and took the punishment for us, so that we might live a new and free life, unencumbered by sin, and experience God’s love for eternity.

Nothing can lessen the horror and sorrow of the loss of life of an entire family in this freak accident. But in this tragedy lies a message of hope for those of us who look at our present lives in the light of eternity.