Rescue

June 7

2 Samuel 22-24

Psalm 69:13-18

Proverbs 15:13-14

Acts 5:1-16

Rescue

“He reached down from Heaven and took hold of me, He pulled me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.  They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support.  He brought me out to a spacious place.  He rescued me because He delighted in me.”  2 Samuel 22:17-20 HCSB

I love this verse.  It is so comforting to me.  We do not have a God who sits up in Heaven on His throne uninvolved and disinterested in what is going on here on Earth.  He is not a God who created us and then left us to take care of ourselves.  He is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives.  He reaches down from Heaven and takes hold of us.  When David wrote this song, he was probably remembering the years he had spent hiding in the wilderness in caves running from his enemy, Saul.  When God rescued him, he no longer had to look over his shoulder unsure of who he could trust, but He could go out into the open to spacious places without fear of being killed.  God rescued David and set him free.  He promises to do the same thing for us.  He wants to bring us out into wide open spaces free from anything that holds us captive.  This can take many forms: fear, worry, addiction, shame, unhealthy relationships, pride, destructive habits, etc.  There are many things that bind us and keep us from living the life God intended for us.  He wants us to experience the peace and joy of freedom.  “Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy.  I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”  John 10:10 (HCSB) “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36 (NIV)

In other religions, their gods are far away.  They are aloof and disinterested.  Their followers spend all their time trying to please their god to earn his favor.  If they are lucky and do enough good stuff, the god might let them into Heaven when they die, and there are often certain rituals and sacrificial acts that will help them gain access.   It is very sad that they are so deceived because those gods are not real, and their efforts are in vain.  Our God, the One True God, loves us so much that He left Heaven, came to Earth, and died to provide a way for us to go to Heaven with Him.  And when He went back to Heaven, He left the Holy Spirit to dwell in us so that He could be with us always.  He never leaves our side.  He is available to help us in any situation we face.  We are never alone.  The trials and temptations of this life can be overwhelming and frightening, but our God reaches down from Heaven, takes hold of us, and pulls us out of deep waters.