READ: GENESIS 3:1-9; PSALMS 89:9; 107:29; EPHESIANS 2:4-10

Nyoka twisted her scaly blue body around and laughed as she watched the other merpeople, who swam behind her. The chilly ocean water and vibrant coral made it a perfect day for a game of capture the flag. As she continued to maneuver her way through the seaweed, looking for the red flag, a flash of a dark fin caught her eye. Nyoka had never seen a creature like that before, so she ducked behind some particularly large stalks of kelp and then tore off after it.

Within minutes, she found that the gray figure was swimming farther and farther down into the depths of the ocean. Her Father’s voice of warning tugged at the back of her mind, but Nyoka continued her pursuit. She watched the creature abruptly change its course and dive down into a narrow, rocky hole. She knew the passage well, for it was the one place her Father forbade her to go. The mermaid waited only a moment before following.

Darkness engulfed her. As her eyes started to adjust, Nyoka shook her head. That was when she heard a cackle from behind her. Through the haze, she felt she could almost make out the creature’s form, its tail swaying back and forth. “Finally, you are mine!”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Wh-who are you?” She managed to stutter. But the creature only laughed again and then appeared in front of her face. “I am Death.” The faint light from above started to dim, and the water churned darker. Nyoka felt herself starting to fade, her scales beginning to lose their color. Her eyes closed, and she managed to cry out softly, “Father, save me.”

At the whisper of those words, the ocean came alive. The salt water went from midnight black to clear blue as light flooded the space around her. A thunderous voice echoed into the deep, and the dark form fled in terror. Nyoka opened her eyes and saw her Father swimming toward her. “I’m sorry, “she sobbed. “I’m so, so sorry.” He only pulled her closer and softly spoke into her ear, “Even here, I am with you.” • Molly McTernan

• Has there ever been a time when you felt like you were too deep for God to save you? We’ve all sinned, choosing to go our own way instead of listening to God. The result of sin is death, and none of us can save ourselves. Yet God, in His great mercy, is so eager to save us. Jesus was willing to die for us, and then rise again, so we could be forgiven and saved from sin and death. (For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.) Even as Christians, we sometimes think we’re too far gone, and we need to be reminded again that Jesus saved us and is still saving us and will save us in the end. What He started—that is, salvation—He will complete (Philippians 1:6).

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)