Rescue Story – Day 1

Lifted me up from the ashes 

Carried my soul from death to life 

Bringing me from Glory to Glory 

You are my rescue story 

Traveling on the road like I do, I have the privilege of meeting new people quite frequently.  Although I must admit there are times when I am flying across the country that I wish the person sitting next to me would not want to talk so I would be able to sleep. But most times, I enjoy engaging in conversation.  It is amazing how much people will open up and talk to their seatmate on a long flight.  I always try to steer the conversation toward Jesus and I get various reactions.  As I attempt to share the love of our great and mighty King, I have encountered a few people who are walking with Jesus and have surrendered their lives to Him and their stories encourage me greatly. That is the really amazing thing about being in the family of God - each and every person has their own story. All of us have a unique story to share, a story of how while we were sinners, Jesus pursued us.  We were all dead in our trespasses, and Jesus came and rescued us.  He pulled us from the miry clay and placed us on a rock, bringing us from darkness to light, from death to life!

One such amazing story is the Apostle Paul.  The man had papers in his pocket ready to arrest followers of the Way.  He even held the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death while he stood there and watched.  Jesus got his attention in a big way and Saul, the Pharisee of Pharisees, became the most influential member of the early church.  

The men Jesus called to follow Him while He was here on earth also have great rescue stories. They came from all walks of life and went through cataclysmic changes.  Peter, the hothead, became a rock that led the early church.  Thomas, the doubter, who questioned some of Jesus's teachings became a fearless evangelist who took the Gospel to India and was killed for preaching the resurrected Savior.  All but John died brutal deaths, but these scared boys, who scattered when their Rabbi was crucified, gladly gave their lives for preaching the truth.  This is proof to me that that the story is true, not fabricated.  And what about Jesus's family?  Those are the hardest people to convince sometimes.  James, the brother of Jesus, who once rejected His claims of being the Messiah, became the leader of the early church. It was said he had knees like camels from being on them in constant prayer.  

I want to encourage you to never be ashamed of your rescue story. Jesus doesn’t want us to live in shame, but in the freedom He has given.