The Need of Rescue - Day 204 Month 7-22 Week 30-1
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
1 Samuel 27-28, Proverbs 10:26-32, Ezekiel 10, Romans 1:1-17
The Need of Rescue
We all need rescuing, and the good news is that rescue is possible.
Over the next fifteen days or so, we will be reading through Romans. Romans is a letter from the apostle Paul to the Jesus followers in Rome. In this letter, Paul systematically explains why every one of us needs rescuing.
Last year, I was using our new zero turn mower for only the second or third time. Before that, we had a lawn tractor, but with the nature of our property, the zero turn made much more sense. The old tractor weighed about 470 pounds, while the new mower weighed 815 pounds.
I was cutting the grass near the shore, where there is a small area that is perfect for sitting on a rock and looking out over the Bay of Fundy. Just beyond the rocks and logs that have been placed there for seating, there is a gap of only three or four feet before the ground drops away very steeply, almost like a cliff. The shoreline sits about thirty five or forty feet below.
With the old lawn tractor, I could drive in front of the rocks without any concern. I took the zero turn into the same spot, assuming that its better traction would make it safer. Instead, as soon as I drove into the area, the mower began sliding toward the edge. Fortunately, before it went over, I managed to engage the parking brake, which somehow stopped the slide. I climbed off the front of the mower and got to safety. Had the mower gone over the edge, I likely would have been seriously injured, perhaps even killed.
I then walked the half kilometre back to the house, retrieved the big tractor, and pulled the mower back onto level ground.
That experience reminded me how quickly life can change and how little control we really have. Every day, we get into our cars and head somewhere. We drive into town, visit friends, or attend church along the shore. We never know what may happen on the road. A brief distraction, our own or someone else's, could change everything in an instant. The same is true when we go for a walk or climb a ladder to make repairs around the house. Life can change very quickly, and that reality is true for everyone.
Death can come at any moment. As a Jesus follower, I feel a responsibility, out of my love for God and for others, to speak about the cure for death. I am not referring to physical death, because every person will eventually die. I am talking about the promise of eternal life in God's kingdom. I cannot remain silent about something that I believe is true.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
These are Paul's words at the beginning of Romans.
Whenever I have the opportunity to share the spiritual transformation I have experienced, I want to do so without embarrassment or hesitation. The gospel is the good news, and salvation is the rescue from death.
As we continue reading through Romans, we will explore why we need that rescue and what Paul says about the path to salvation.
Have a great day!
Steve
You can subscribe to this blog and receive an email each day or week. Just visit the following link. https://follow.it/my-faith-view-from-here-daily-readings-and-thoughts?leanpub
Comments
Post a Comment