The Rescue

Christine Loughead’s last trip to the grocery store was anything but routine.  It started out as it always did (bread, milk, cereal, etc.)  but at the back of the store by the meat section, Christine noticed a lone lobster sitting in a tank filled with cold brine water waiting to be sold, cooked, and eaten.  She decided to do something about it.   Moving quickly, she purchased the solo crustacean, wrapped him in wet newspaper, put him in a cooler, and drove six hours to a shipping location to send him to a friend who lived beside the Atlantic Ocean.  She was determined to return the lobster to his/her home.

The lobster who was bound for eventual death was spared.

When I read that story, it reminded me that all of us are a lot like that lobster.  We are born into a broken world where one day we will run out of heartbeats.  We sit hoping that someone will intervene and allow us to live a life of freedom...a life where we are unbound and able to become who we were created to be.  Not held to a small tank... but released to a boundless ocean of possibilities, strength, and hope. 

If you’re reading this today... I have good news for you.  You are free.  Truly free.  Not because of anything you’ve done, said, or logically figured out.   Your rescuer?  Jesus Christ.  He willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross over two thousand years ago so you don’t have to spend your life scared of the future...staring through the glass of life worrying about your eventual fate.   When you enter into a relationship with Him you are released from the bounds of infinite separation from God and ushered into a family that lives together eternally with Christ in Heaven.    

Think about that a minute... we have nothing to offer Christ but He rescues us anyway.  Scripture puts it this way in Psalm 8:4 “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”  David asks the big question... who are we that God Himself would come down to save us?   But then we read John’s beloved explanation in verse 16 of the third chapter... “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

If you’re looking for an explanation as to why God would go through all the trouble to save us... it’s simple. 

Love.

He loves you so much that you were worth the sacrifice of His Son on your behalf.

He loves you so much that He gave up His perfect child for an imperfect you.

He loves you so much that He would rather lose Jesus than spend forever separated from you. 

You are worth infinitely more than a lobster in a tank.  Your life has a purpose... it has meaning... and the One who started your heart beating wants you to live a life free of the fear of “what if.”  Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?  If so, live like it.  Head up... shoulders back... stand boldly for Him and share your faith with others.  If not, I encourage you to make today the day you break free.  Read the prayer below and commit your life to Him.  It is the most important (and liberating) decision you’ll ever make.  The words you say aren’t as important as the condition of your heart as you meditate on and repeat the passage below:

Jesus... I admit that I’m a sinner.  I make mistakes and I realize that I can’t do life alone.  Please come into my heart... lead me... guide me... and become the Lord, Master, the CEO of my life.  I believe that you came to earth, died on the cross for my sins, and resurrected three days later so that anyone who believes can spend forever with you.  Today, I commit everything I understand about myself to everything I understand about You.   Thank you for loving me the way you do... and thank you for salvaging me... saving me... and making it possible for me to be truly free and live eternally.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

If you prayed that prayer above... welcome to the family.  You’ll never make a better choice.  I pray that your first steps with Christ will grow into a lifetime of seeking Him in all things.  Blessings to you today and always!

Waiting for Rescue

     A family was out vacationing at the lake one summer. Dad had been relaxing out by the boat house. Two of his sons, a 12-year old and a 3-year old were down playing along the dock. The 12 year old was supposed to be watching his little brother, but he got distracted. The 3 year old, little Billy, thought that would be a good time to check out the shiny aluminum fishing boat tied up at the end of the dock. So he went to the dock and put one foot on the boat, and one foot on the dock. He lost his balance and fell into the water, which was about 5 or 6 ft deep. The splash alerted the 12-yr old who let out a piercing scream. Dad came running from the boat house, jumped into the water, swam down, but unable to see anything, came up for air. Sick with panic, he went right back down into the murky water, and began to feel everywhere around the bottom. He couldn’t feel anything. 

   Have you ever felt panic like that?  Helpless? Hopeless? Maybe you’ve had a child go missing... or maybe for you it was something else.  Your spouse was caught cheating...  Your medical tests come back postive... Your boss has to let you go and you are the only income... The kind of thing that “only happens to other people” has happened to you... and you panic.  

I’m not just talking worry... I’m talking about full-fledged shake-in-your-boots panic.  Your heart races, your knees weaken, your ability to think clearly leaves you...

This can’t really be happening.

Where is God?

Will I ever feel better?

Why does this always happen to me?

Where is God?

Why do I hurt so badly?

Make it stop.

I can’t take it anymore.

Where is God?

We’ve all asked questions like that.  We don’t want to admit that we’ve panicked but it happens.  What does God do when my life turns upside down?

Look at today’s verse... 

“But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.  The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”  Exodus 14:13-14

Here you have the Israelites being chased by the Egyptians.  The latter were far more prepared...equipped...and organized.  Moses’ crew didn’t have much, but he reminded them of the size and strength of their God.  I love the first thing Moses tells them to do.

Be calm.  Moses says, “Don’t be afraid.  Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today... The Lord Himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm. “

All too often, tranquility and patience are not our first reaction to crisis.  Panic seems to fit better.  Worry, fear, and dread are much more comfortable companions... as if any of those could improve the situation.  No, they are what our flesh tells us we need to do.     They’ve never helped us before but there’s always a first time, right?  Our story doesn’t end with panic... let’s read the rest... as the dad dove down for the last time...

On his way up, he felt little Billy’s arms locked in a death grip on one of the posts of the dock, about 4 ft under water. Prying the boy’s fingers loose, they burst up together through the surface to fill their lungs with life-giving air. 

Finally when the adrenaline had stopped surging, and nerves had calmed down a little bit, the father asked his son, “What on earth were you doing down there hanging onto the post so far under the water? And little Billy’s answer was a classic, laced with the wisdom only a toddler could give. He said, "I was just waiting for you, Dad. Just waiting for you." 

The little boy didn’t give up.  He just hung on and stayed calm.  He knew his dad was coming for him.  Today, I want you to remember the same thing.  Is your life in crisis?  Feeling tossed around...beaten up...forgotten?  Have you been waiting for rescue for so long you’ve begun to doubt?   Your Dad is coming for you, too....

Today, commit to wait on your Heavenly Father... He’ll be there.  You will be lifted up, pulled out, and brought back.   Rescue is on the way.  God Himself will fight for you... just keep hanging on.... and stay calm.

Rescue Team

I know what the pit looks like.  I’ve been fired by a former church employer, been in and out of the hospital for various serious reasons, and seen my share of challenges that seemed insurmountable.   While I was going through the trials, I couldn’t help but wonder when they would be over...  Ever felt that way?  Ever wonder if you’d ever see the light again?  Ever been in a hole so deep that you just felt like you were doomed to stay there?  You aren’t the only one in that pit... but it sure feels like it.  Foreclosure... divorce... bullying... failure... illness... pride... shame...  

I don’t know what shape your pit is... but I completely understand the feeling of being in one.  

More importantly... so does Jesus.  The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords knows what the bottom of the pit feels like.  The smoothness of the walls... unable to be climbed. The dark so thick that your eyes feel closed even when wide open.  And the bottom of the pit?  Thick and filled with hopeless sludge... guaranteed to grab your feet and slow you down if you have any ideas about trying to climb out.  One step forward... 3 steps back.  Felt that?  

Death is a pit....  and Jesus experienced it for a brief time over 2000 years ago.  The enemy did everything he could to keep Christ in that deep darkness forever.   But Jesus knew His stay was short.  He had a mission and there was nothing that would keep Him away from rolling back that stone and flooding the pit of death with the light from the sun His Father put there.   Jesus would overcome death’s perfect record and emerge victorious.  

It’s because of Christ’s escape from His pit that we have hope.  

And hope is a powerful thing.  

In his book Think on These Things, author and former-Pastor John Maxwell says this about hope:

Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.
Hope motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope energizes when the body is tired.
Hope sweetens while bitterness bites.
Hope sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope believes when evidence is eliminated.
Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.
Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.
Hope endures hardship when no on is caring.
Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.
Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.
Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging.
Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.
Hope brings the victory when no one is winning.

Hope is powerful.  And maybe you’ve been looking for it for a long time.  Day after day you’ve searched above your head for light... even a pinhole of light that simply hasn’t come.   You’ve struggled at the bottom of your pit... but I’ve got great news... Jesus has a VERY long arm.  Today He’s reaching for you and wants to pull you out... to step into a new light for the first time in a long time.   Jesus is hope.  

Romans 8:24-25 “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

You may not see Jesus today... but rest assured, He’s there.  I know it’s hard to see that beautiful arm in the blackness of the pit... but it’s there.   Ready to pull you up to the light.  Never give up that hope.  Christ hears you calling out in the darkness... and I don’t know what lesson you’ll need to learn in the trial that you are enduring... but cling to the hope and promise that His resurrection was powerful enough to get you through it.  

He’s reaching for you.

And when you finally feel that nail-pierced hand... grab onto it tightly and allow Him to rescue you.  Give your life to Him... read His word... serve in His church... grow by being more like Him.  Never give up hope in the One who promises to always be there.  Hope reminds you that things will get better.  But you know the greatest thing about hope?  It changes.  Jesus never changes... but the hope that got us out of that first pit...  becomes faith. We don’t just hope we’ll be rescued... we begin to know and have faith it will happen if we ever slip in again. 

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hope keeps you going... It keeps you from not giving up looking for light in the bottom of the pit... 

Faith reminds you that you aren’t alone down there.. and won’t stay there for long.  

Never give up hope... 

live a life of faith...  

And when you are pulled out of that hole (and you will be).... give the credit to God who sent the rescue team of One.