Rescue the Perishing

What could be more satisfying to a human than to be in a position to rescue another human from injury or death?  We see news reports all the time of ordinary people that do extraordinary things for people in need.  When asked, these heroes usually reply, "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."  When I see these stories I'm always reminded of the words written by Fanny Crosby, "Rescue the Perishing". 

 

This song praises the Rescuer of our souls and acknowledges the fact that we are not the rescuers ~ God is the Rescuer.   It is vital that we remind ourselves that we, as believers, are sinners saved by grace.  My perishing soul needed rescuing by God.  We, as believers, have an important part to play as witnesses to those that need a Savior, but even though we may desire to, we cannot save anyone.  Salvation is God's divine work and we must ACKNOWLEDGE God's part: 

 

Psalm 25:15, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net."

Psalm 121:1, 2  "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.…;"



Then, we can IDENTIFY our part in this divine work:
Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:18-26 

• Be available for God's use in helping others.  Stay in touch with Him through daily prayer and Bible study. 
• Be a prayer warrior for others.  I believe in the power of prayer because I have experienced the power of God in my own life when others have prayed for me.
• Be a patient and loving encourager. 
• Depend on God for results.  Meeting the needs of others is God's job and the results are due to His power, grace and mercy.
• Recognize the fact that people are perishing and their greatest need is a Savior.

Finally, remember that we are the INSTRUMENT, not the healer.

Consider the surgeon and the scalpel.  In the operating room, it would be ludicrous for a surgeon  to ask the scalpel where to make an incision on a patient.  The scalpel does not have the capabilities to perform an operation without the hand of the surgeon.  The same is true when we, as sinners saved by grace, attempt to perform the divine work of God's hands in the lives of others. 

 

As I look forward to 2014 I pray that I will

ACKNOWLEDGE God's divine work in the lives of others,

IDENTIFY my part in sharing the gospel,

and strive to be an INSTRUMENT

God can use to rescue the perishing.