In late 2022, a sunken boat left three Louisiana boaters stranded 25 miles off the coast. By tying their ice chests together, they were able to stay afloat for 28 hours, but soon the sharks came. One opened its jaws and ripped into the front of one man’s life vest until he jammed his thumbs into the predator’s eyes, buying the desperate men a bit more time. One of the boaters took a terrifying risk, left the ice chests, and swam for miles in the shark-infested waters, hoping for a cell phone signal to call for help. Against all odds, he found one. A helicopter arrived before the four blacktip sharks struck again. In that moment, those desperate men “got saved.”

That’s a vivid picture of our spiritual story. After Adam and Eve crashed humanity into the iceberg of sin, we were all left floating in the deep waters of death. The demons were circling, hungry for our souls, waiting for our last breaths so they could claim more sinners forever.

Until our Savior saved us. Like a helicopter from heaven, Jesus flew down to rescue us from danger. No wonder the angels said his coming was “good news that will cause great joy” (Luke 2:10). Imagine for a moment if Jesus hadn’t been born. Now imagine for a million moments the fact that he was. A Savior has been born for you! That’s why you, through faith in him, are saved.