Pastor's Perspective - RESCUED!

You never know what a day will bring.

Spirits were soaring here in the church building yesterday morning. Our homeless ministry was in full gear as our guests from the camps were being fed, given the opportunity to wash their clothes, take showers, select nice donated clothes and receive encouragement and prayer. The volunteers were giddy with the joy of serving, including the lead pastor – me.

Suddenly it was announced that one of our dear church partner’s house was on fire! The giddiness came to a screeching halt as a few of us raced to the scene. Upon arrival, the fire had just been doused and several first responders were congregating near the blackened smoldering home. Our hearts sank as it was announced that the family dog ‘Dino’ was still inside and had not yet been located. By looking at the devastation and extensive smoke damage, the odds initially looked pretty slim that the treasured little pooch survived. As believers, we encouraged the shocked family members and offered our best faith-laced optimism, but our minds were clearly on the little helpless dog.

By God’s kindness nobody was in the home at the time, so we had reason to smile and see His divine fingerprints. He knows how to bring immeasurable blessing out of the obvious bad.

As we put our arms around each other to offer solace, two firefighters appeared quickly, one with a shaking Dino in his arms! Our hearts leaped and the sad and somber atmosphere broke. Admittedly, we all brushed away some tears as the grateful homeowner scooped his trembling dog up in his arms.

I thought a lot about that scene the last 24 hours, especially in lieu of Good Friday.

Dino was just a little innocent animal suddenly stuck in a dangerous, hopeless and inescapable situation. Then, someone broke into his darkness, scooped him up and ushered him into the light.

As much as I’d like to equate mankind’s parallel plight with Dino’ yesterdays, there is a profound and undeniable variation I cannot ignore.

Unlike Dino, we in the human family are not innocent. Scripture tells us that our open, willful and mutinous rebellion before a holy God beginning in Eden’s garden declared us His enemies – guilty – worthy of divine wrath and destruction - sad but true.

Then, when everything was burning down around us in our culpable hopelessness, a heavenly light broke into our darkness (John 1:9), and graciously rescued us – ushering us into His light – giving us a living eternal hope and a future.

Today as we remember the agonizing crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, let me encourage and challenge you to see it with a fresh and renewed comprehension. Christ rescued us from what we rightfully deserved, so that someday He could scoop us joyfully into His arms!

Today, traditionally, we remember together that scandalous Friday a long time ago.

You never know what a day will bring.