Hello ,
In the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia, there's a special display for a rickety, home-made aluminum kayak. This tiny, makeshift boat seems oddly out of place in the midst of displays for impressive Navy vessels and artifacts from significant battles on the sea. But a bronze plaque tells museum visitors the story behind this kayak's heroic makers.
In 1966, an auto mechanic named Laureano and his wife Consuelo decided that they could no longer live under the oppression of Cuba's totalitarian regime. After spending months collecting scrap metal, they pieced together a boat just barely big enough for two small people. Then Laureano jury-rigged a small lawn mower engine on the back of the kayak. (You can view of photo of the kayak above).
After months of planning, on a moonless September night, sitting back to back and wearing only their swimming suits, they set out in the treacherous Straits of Florida. They had only enough water and food for a couple of days. Finally, after they had floated in open water for over 70 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard found and rescued the couple just south of Alligator Reef Light in the Florida Keys.
Was it worth the risk to find freedom? Laureano thought so.
Just like this brave individual wanted to break the chains of oppression, so each person looks to Jesus wants to experience the freedom that only He can give.
Freedom through Christ is an amazing way to live, and it's worth whatever we have to go through to have it. He freely offers it, but it wasn't free for Him to afford us that opportunity.
Today, let's appreciate the free through Christ that each of us can have.
Have a great day and God bless!