Rescue!

Friday – September 27, 2013

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.   Matthew 6:13 (KJV)

Writing something fresh every day isn’t as easy as it may seem.  Writing something fresh that can relate to just about anyone’s experience is next to impossible (for me).  What do you do with an empty page at 5am?

Of course you read the Scriptures – I use the Lectionary texts devotionally, and today the Lord’s Prayer spoke anew to me; especially the word “deliver”.  I looked it up and the newer translations’ use of “rescue” works very well.  The word pictures drawing as you would snatch something out of a river.  The act of drawing brings the rescued person rushing towards you like a raging river.  The picture above is Mary Chind’s Pulitzer prize-winning photo of a river rescue.

And so, at 5am I was thinking of the rescues in my life. 

have you ever been rescued?

·        I’ve been rescued Physically just like the river rescue (okay, it was a lake, and the canoe…well…I was a kid).   

·        I’ve been rescued Financially (too often to count). 

·        I’ve been rescued Emotionally (the ups and downs of life presume occasional rescue).

·        And I’ve been rescued Spiritually by the Christ who forgave (and forgives) all my sins.

The truth about spiritual, emotional, financial and even physical rescue is that it’s an ongoing divine project.  Delivering His children from evil (sins, moods, bills and rush hour traffic) fills our God’s Day-Timer™; talk about multi-tasking! 

It’s almost like the Father has all these toddlers running around all over the earth, and just when he rescues this half of the planets’ goofiness, the other side of the world is waking up to all sorts of trouble.  I’ve often thought the prayer would’ve been more accurate if it was deliver us from our “nincompooperies”!

Rescued FROM is always rescued TO

When you’re in the thick of it – problems up to your ears, a dangerous situation, or an unexpected dental bill – it’s easy to picture the rescue “from” that difficulty.  You can see and pray get me away from the evil driver in the other lane.

But what are you being rescued to?  If you believe the toddler image above, that we are rescued from this goof-up, only to rush headlong into another, you’ve got the human side of the equation.  But, from the Father’s side, He doesn’t rescue just so we can turn right back to the water.  The rescue, or “rushing” is towards Him; he rescues us from whatever evil to draw us close to His side.  He loves us that much!

Today – a three-step plan:

1.      Consider the rescues that have happened in your life.

2.      Give thanks.

3.      Repeat!

Part of that involves going to church this Sunday.  

See you at Dad’s house.