January 11, 2018
Our Great Rescuer
Psalm 118:5
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.
We usually feel “free” when a certain circumstance is finally over. A person could be stressed over unemployment, illness, or debt, and then feel a tremendous burden lifted when they get a job, a cure, or a ledger in the black. But, people typically have more than one thing that stresses them out, so waiting for one circumstance to change won’t alleviate the stress we have in other areas. That’s where we do the best we can to mask it with drugs & alcohol, toxic relationships, overworking, or irresponsible spending. We are well aware that these distractions will only create more stress down the road, yet we willingly do them anyway.
But God is so considerate that he sets us free with an actual physical feeling of a burden being lifted off our shoulders and a pit being removed from our tummies even if our circumstances don’t change. I know this not only from God’s Word but also from personal experience.
From a Christian who tried to fix her own messes, I highly encourage everyone to pray instead. Just simply tell God what you’re worried about, and when you worry about it 5 minutes later, tell him again. Take God with you everywhere you go in the form of millions of tiny conversations, singing worship songs in your head, and recalling scriptures (even paraphrased) that you know. I can’t tell you when it will happen our where you’ll be when it does, but he will set you free. And you will feel free even if your circumstances haven’t changed, because you’ll remember that you already ARE free!
If the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (John 8:36)
When we realize that God didn’t send his Son to rescue us from the scariest and most distressful thing possible (facing punishment and death) in order for us to be stressed out by something else, we gain a healthy perspective about our worries and a meaningful prayer life, and our attention shifts from our great troubles to our Great Rescuer!
Dear God,
Thank you for rescuing me from sin and death, and rescuing me every day ever since – even from things I haven’t yet realized you’ve rescued me from. You are so thoughtful and kind to allow me to live freely and FEEL free. Thank you that Believers are not defined by our various circumstances; we are defined by your wonderful Son, Jesus, who has made us free, and I pray in his name, amen.
Our Great Rescuer
Psalm 118:5
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.
We usually feel “free” when a certain circumstance is finally over. A person could be stressed over unemployment, illness, or debt, and then feel a tremendous burden lifted when they get a job, a cure, or a ledger in the black. But, people typically have more than one thing that stresses them out, so waiting for one circumstance to change won’t alleviate the stress we have in other areas. That’s where we do the best we can to mask it with drugs & alcohol, toxic relationships, overworking, or irresponsible spending. We are well aware that these distractions will only create more stress down the road, yet we willingly do them anyway.
But God is so considerate that he sets us free with an actual physical feeling of a burden being lifted off our shoulders and a pit being removed from our tummies even if our circumstances don’t change. I know this not only from God’s Word but also from personal experience.
From a Christian who tried to fix her own messes, I highly encourage everyone to pray instead. Just simply tell God what you’re worried about, and when you worry about it 5 minutes later, tell him again. Take God with you everywhere you go in the form of millions of tiny conversations, singing worship songs in your head, and recalling scriptures (even paraphrased) that you know. I can’t tell you when it will happen our where you’ll be when it does, but he will set you free. And you will feel free even if your circumstances haven’t changed, because you’ll remember that you already ARE free!
If the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (John 8:36)
When we realize that God didn’t send his Son to rescue us from the scariest and most distressful thing possible (facing punishment and death) in order for us to be stressed out by something else, we gain a healthy perspective about our worries and a meaningful prayer life, and our attention shifts from our great troubles to our Great Rescuer!
Dear God,
Thank you for rescuing me from sin and death, and rescuing me every day ever since – even from things I haven’t yet realized you’ve rescued me from. You are so thoughtful and kind to allow me to live freely and FEEL free. Thank you that Believers are not defined by our various circumstances; we are defined by your wonderful Son, Jesus, who has made us free, and I pray in his name, amen.
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