Couple that vanished in the woods is found: It's always too soon to give up on God

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Couple that vanished in the woods is found: It’s always too soon to give up on God

February 24, 2020 -

Carol Kiparsky, age seventy-seven, and Ian Irwin, age seventy-two, went on a Valentine’s Day hike. They ventured into the wilderness near Tomales Bay in California to watch the sunset. However, they took a wrong turn after it got dark.

They found themselves in an area of dense vegetation and a steep incline and couldn’t make it out on their own. A search by state, local, and federal agencies began on February 16 but gave up hope of finding them alive last Thursday and began searching for their bodies.

Two days later, a recovery team heard them calling for help. A police dog led rescuers to the pair. The two had survived by drinking from a puddle and eating plants.

A police spokesman said the couple were in “great spirits” and “wanted to pass along their thanks to everyone who has been keeping them in their thoughts and all never losing hope.”

It’s always too soon

Their story reminds us of this fact: It is always too soon to give up.

Whether you’re in need of rescue or trying to rescue someone else, your job is to keep trying. You never know when people will survive conditions you might consider unsurvivable. You might be that person today.

We could make a long list of improbable stories in Scripture: an elderly couple named Abraham and Sarah become parents to the Jewish nation. An incarcerated slave named Joseph becomes prime minister of Egypt. A fugitive felon named Moses leads his people to the Promised Land.

A shepherd boy defeats a giant warrior. A Galilean fisherman preaches a sermon that leads three thousand people to Christ. A former persecutor of the church becomes its greatest global champion. An imprisoned apostle gives the world the book of Revelation.

In fact, the list of people used by God in expected ways is far shorter than those whose stories surprised the world.

Now it’s our turn. We are called to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), measuring success not by results but by obedience. We are called to be Jesus’ witness where we live and around the world (Acts 1:8), trusting the omnipotent God to use us in ways we can see and ways we cannot.

Where you are is your kingdom assignment for today. What you have is more than enough in the hands of God. A lost soul is waiting for your rescue. Your call is to seek and to save the lost until your Lord returns (Luke 19:10).

It’s always too soon to give up on God.

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