Have you ever wondered what it takes to be so brave or so courageous in the face of a life and death situation! Over 30 years ago a USA sheriff exchanged places willingly with a hostage. Few people I imagine would do what that police officer did. The incident continues that during a demonstration of a Tibetan sand painting ceremony in the town library, a gunman leapt up on the service desk brandishing a M1911 pistol and claiming to have a bomb. He ordered nearby people into a conference room, which was already occupied by another group of people. At the same time Lt Lloyd Prescott was teaching a class for police officers in the Salt Lake City library. As he stepped into the hallway, he noticed a gunman herding 18 hostages into the next room. As he was dressed in street clothes and had his pistol hidden on his person, Lt. Prescott offered to change places with the last person who was about to enter the conference room and so he joined the group as the 18th hostage. He followed them into the room and shut the door. As the day progressed the gunman made many demands for cash, gold and platinum bullion etc. He claimed to have a bomb on a dead man’s switch which he put on the table in the middle of the room. As the sheriff deemed the bomb to be a credible device he didn’t try to intervene so the situation continued for around 6 hours. Then the gunman announced that the hostages would draw straws to determine the order in which they would be shot until his demands were met. At that moment Prescott determined that he had to act. The bomb was located on a thick oak table and Prescott hoped that it would be able to shield the hostages if they could get under it in time. Just as the gunman was seen crouching with another hostage to check the bomb detonator, Lt. Prescott seized his chance. He drew his pistol and, while shouting at the other hostages to get on the floor, fired five times at the gunman. The gunman was hit and fell to the ground mortally wounded. Despite the dead man’s switch, the bomb did not detonate as the gunman had over taped the device’s mechanism and all the hostages escaped unharmed. Lt Prescott, willingly put his life at risk to set others free.
This reminds me of what Christ Jesus did for man. He came to earth and dressed in street clothes he entered our world. God the son, Jesus Christ became human and joined those held hostage to sin. All mankind are sinners, for all have sinned the bible says. Christ came to free us from the penalty of sin which is death. On the cross Jesus Christ took our place, the apostle Peter says in 1Peter 3 verse 18 ‘For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,’. Christ give himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God, so that he could free us from our sins. His suffering and death on the cross defeated Satan and rescued those who believe on him from the penalty of their sins. The holy scripture records the words of Jesus Christ in John chapter 8 verse 36 ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.’ He is the Son who came to set men free. Just like the Lt Prescott became a hostage and set free the others, so Christ is able to defend and save those being held against their will and set them free from the power of sin. Have you allowed Christ to set you free?
P. Pilgrim pilgrimway101@yahoo.com
