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Thankfully
Rescued
Years
ago a boat was wrecked in a storm on Lake Michigan.
Students from Northwestern University formed
rescue teams and did all they could to save people
from drowning. One student named Edward Spencer saved
17 people before he fell exhausted to the ground.
Years
later R.A. Torrey referred to this incident while
speaking in Los Angeles, CA, when a man in the
audience called out, "Edward Spencer is
here!" Torrey asked Spencer to come forward and
asked him if anything in particular stood out in his
memory from that momentous occasion.
Spencer replied, "Only
this sir - of the
17 people I rescued, not one of them thanked me."
Another
great rescue
operation has been performed.
And you
may not realize it, but YOU
were involved. You, I, and every other person are
drowning in a condition called SIN.
“ALL have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Because of His love for us, God sent His Son to
OUR rescue.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son in to the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through Him
might be saved [rescued]"
(John 3:16-17). Edward
Spencer gave all of his energy to save 17 people from
drowning, but the Son of God gave
his life to save – to rescue – us from our
sins (Romans 5:8-10, Matthew
1:21)
Through
the cross of Christ, God has extended His saving hand
to rescue us from our sins.
HE WILL save us - IF - WE WILL reach out
and grasp His hand.
BUT-
just how do I grasp God’s saving hand?
What must I do to be saved -- to be
rescued from my sins?
Thankfully, God has given us the answer through His
Word!
We
must believe in
Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent
of our sins (2 Corinthians 7:10),
confess Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), be
baptized for the
forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21), AND
continue to cling to His hand through our faithful
obedience
to His will (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Due
to our sin, the storms rage about us, but do not
despair. Gratefully
reach up to the saving hand of God in trusting
obedience, and He WILL rescue you.
Then, having been rescued,
let us CONTINUE to express our gratitude by honoring
our Savior through the lives that we live.
For the best way to GIVE
thanks is to LIVE
thanks!
Have
you been rescued?
Is your Thanks-giving
expressed by your Thanks-living?
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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