Yesterday my sweet daughter-in-love forwarded me a couple of adorable videos. My precious grandson Matthew and his cute cousin Noah were "playing fireman". Thanks to Noah's "tickle trunk" (for anyone who remembers the "Mr. Dress-Up" television series), Noah had a couple of costumes which enabled them each to play the part well. Dressed and ready, they were responding to emergency 911 calls and dragging blankets as hoses. They successfully put out fire after fire with determination. I love seeing the imagination of these little boys. If only all our rescue needs could be imaginary. Our emergency 911 calls are very real, and sometimes it seems like the response time takes so long.
In Peter's second letter, likely written from prison, and being in very real need of a rescue himself, he writes such wonderful reminders and words of encouragement. In referencing the judgment of the wicked he highlights a couple of examples that we need to remember.
His first person of interest is Noah. Despite the flood that proclaimed God's judgment on the world, the Lord preserved Noah and his family. God guarded Noah and kept him from perishing. Even when surrounded by worldly wickedness, the Lord's hand is on those who believe and obey His word. Although Noah was rescued, he still had a journey of hardship. I am sure there was hostility and mocking from unbelievers. Building an ark to the specifications that God required had to be a challenge. The duration of time enclosed in this huge floating vessel with all the animals and extended family had to be difficult and tiresome at times. Rescue does not necessarily mean relief from work, but release from a pre-mature end.
This is evidenced again with Peter's second example. When God condemned Sodom and Gomorrah and turned these towns into heaps of ashes, He also rescued Lot because he was a righteous man. With all the evil in those cities, God still had his eyes on one man. Genesis 19 tells us that even when Lot lingered and did not flee quickly at the angels urging, the Lord in His great mercy still delivered Lot. His escape however was not without loss. His wife looked back, disobedient to God's direction, and became a pillar of salt.
These accounts in scripture remind us that when we are in peril, God's power comes to the rescue of His children when they cry out to Him. Oftentimes when we are in the middle of the labyrinth of our trials, we cannot see a way out. Surrounded by difficulties and filled with discouragement we begin to lose hope that the Lord sees us. That is always the enemy, trying as he did with Job, to get us to curse God and die (see Job 2:9).
I had a S.O.S. message from a friend about twenty-four hours ago. Since November 23rd her husband has been in the hospital, most of those days being spent in the Critical Care Unit. Yesterday the Doctor said her husband's condition was both good and bad. Good that he is not getting any worse, but bad because there does not seem to be any consistent sign of improvement. My friend asked her prayer warriors to join with her in praying for a turnaround in his condition. This dear, godly man is in need of God's rescue.
My friend is representative of many others. I'm sure each one reading this knows someone who needs a 911 rescue. Maybe the person waiting for deliverance is you. Do not lose heart. "The Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials." Believe that truth today. His greatest rescue came in sending our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to defeat death and redeem and set us free for all eternity. Have you met Him personally as your Rescuer? 911 is a universal emergency number for assistance. God stands by to answer your call. "Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you and you will honour Me." Psalm 50:15 (CSB)
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