Rescued

 

There’s something so beautiful about the birth of a child. The newness. The innocence. The hope for things to come. There’s no past…just a vision for the future.

How appropriate then, that God sent His one and only Son as a baby, to save us. To make us new.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”-Jeremiah 29:11

When we look at that baby in a manger, we see not only Jesus himself, but the gift that He brings to us. Newness. Hope for things to come.

Jesus came to take away our sins. To make us innocent before God. To wipe away the things of the past. Like a new baby with no past and only future hope, the birth of Jesus gives us the opportunity to start anew.

Babies are also completely dependent on their parents to care for them. They can’t feed or cloth themselves. They can’t walk or even crawl in the very beginning of their new lives. They are in a total state of surrender to the caring hands that love them.

When we look at that baby in the manger, we are reminded that in order to be made new; to be saved from the brokenness of this world, we too need to be in a total state of surrender. We need to allow ourselves to be a baby in the caring hands that love us. God’s hands.

Lifeguards will tell you that saving a drowning person is tricky. Drowning people are functioning in a state of panic and uncertainty. Their arms are flailing as they try to grasp anything around them. They’re full of fear as they try and save themselves. This makes them nearly impossible to rescue.

The only way that the lifeguard can rescue that drowning person is to wait until they surrender.

It might seem counter intuitive as the lifeguard stays close to the flailing, panicked person, yet seems to do nothing. What they’re doing is staying close to keep the person safe, but waiting. They’re waiting for the drowning person to stop trying to save themselves.

Once that happens the lifeguard takes the person in their arms and swims them back to shore.

Are you drowning in life’s difficulties? Have you been pulled out into the worlds undertow and find yourself in water over your head? Have you been treading water, but are starting to tire out? Are you flailing in the waves of circumstances trying to grasp at anything around you? Are you trying to rescue yourself?

Surrender to God.

Stop trying to save yourself. Stop grasping at the things around you expecting them to keep your head above water. Let God take you in His arms and swim you back to shore.

Picture that baby in the manger, beautiful and new and so dependent. They cry out for food, warmth and security; relying on the response of the ones who love and care for them.

Cry out to God in your time of need. Not in panic but with a sense of expectancy that He will provide for you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” -Proverbs 3:5-6

Look at this time of year as an opportunity for new beginnings. See in this beautiful season, hope for the future. Hope like a new born baby.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven,

and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” – Luke 2:8-14

Nothing pleases God more than our total surrender to Him. Our total dependence upon Him. Stop trying to fix everything yourself and ask God to step into your life. Stop relying on yourself for all the answers and ask God for His discernment.

Allow yourself to be plucked from the water and swaddled in Gods loving arms. He’s close by like a lifeguard waiting for you to allow Him to bring you to shore.

Let Him rescue you.

 

-Pastor Patti