Rescued.

At the start of 2018, one of my new favorite Instagram accounts (@wellwateredwomen) issued a #Wordbeforeworld challenge.  Essentially, it’s a challenge to put the Word of God before the world.  The Lord used this challenge to lead me to take on Scripture memory, by memorizing a verse from each book of His Word.  He led me to start with Genesis 3:15.

This verse comes after the Fall, after sin had entered the world and everything had changed.  God is a holy God and cannot be around sin, so when the Fall occurred, He had to initiate His rescue plan, and Genesis 3:15 is the start of that.  The Lord says that Eve’s Offspring will bruise (or crush in some versions) the head of Satan.  This Offspring is Jesus, and the rest of Scripture is the unfolding of this rescue plan, God rescuing His people.

So, as I meditated on this verse, one word kept coming to mind- RESCUED.  Because of the grace and love of Jesus Christ, His work on the cross, and His resurrection, I am rescued.  Friends, if you have believed in Jesus and in His death, burial, and resurrection, then you are rescued too (and if you haven’t- believe now!).  This means everything.  And this word, knowing that I am rescued, brought life to my day (so I’m praying that it can bring some life to your day too).

I am rescued from my biggest problem- my sin, which leads to death.  The Lord doesn’t promise to rescue me from my everyday problems like laundry and dirty diapers, or even bigger problems like cancer and physical death.  But He rescued me from my biggest problem, which makes the everyday problems not seem so big.  And His rescue gives hope and meaning to the bigger problems, because His Word promises that these worldly afflictions are nothing compared to the glory that He has promised for those who believe in Him.

I am rescued, which gives purpose to the everyday.  Because I am rescued, I serve because my Rescuer served me.  Because I am rescued, I image the Father when I work, because He created us to do good work for His glory.  Remembering this has given me such a fresh outlook as I’ve done mundane tasks like wiping noses and thawing out chicken.

I am rescued, which gives perspective to disciplining my boys.  My rescue reminds me that my boys need that same rescuing.  It reminds me that they aren’t disobeying to drive me insane; they’re disobeying because they have a heart issue.  So with each disciplining moment, I have the opportunity to point them to the Father, to the fact that He is the one that is most important to obey, not out of a legalistic heart, but out of a deep love for Him.  I have the opportunity to discipline out of love, because that’s how the Father disciplines me.

I am rescued, and this gives me rest.  Today might not give me the kind of rest I would selfishly like (a good Netflix binge), but I can still rest.  I can rest in knowing that my Rescuer is God, and I am not.  This means I don’t have to strive to be “enough”.  I can go to Jesus and say, “I am not enough, but You are, and that is everything.”  I can rest in submitting to the One whose burden is light.  Ultimately, I can rest in knowing that Jesus the best rest prepared for me with Him one day.

I am rescued, so I am not condemned.  When I lose my patience with my boys, or don’t serve my family joyfully, I don’t have to live in condemnation.  When Christ died on the cross, He bore the weight of ALL of my sins.  All of them.  That means that when the Father looks at me, He sees me clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.  Does this wonderful grace give us a license to sin?  Definitely not.  But when I do sin, I’m not condemned.  I’m called to repent, accept Christ’s forgiveness, and move on.  Because of His rescue, I don’t have to live in the bondage of sin.  I don’t have to let a sin negatively affect the rest of my day, week, etc.  Because of His rescue, I can walk freely in the forgiveness of Christ.

I am rescued, so my life has a purpose.  God did not just rescue me from something (death, Hell); He rescued me FOR something.  Yes, I can do nothing to earn His rescue.  I am rescued by faith alone through grace alone.  But after Jesus rescued me, He gave my life purpose.  I am to live the rest of my rescued days glorifying Him, and telling others of how they, too, can be rescued.

I am rescued to point back to my Rescuer in everything.

Friends, if you know Christ, you are rescued.  What joy there is in this!  Even the most mundane things in your life can be used for the glory of God, and He can and is redeeming the most broken parts of your life.  As you load the dishwasher, make dinner, or finish up your homework, know you’ve been rescued.  You’ve been rescued for the glory of God, and this is the best news, the best news that makes the hard of this life not seem so hard.

Rescued.