Often in lives we find ourselves in need of rescue, whether it is physical danger, mental struggles, financial difficulties or spiritual distress. We all need a hero to come in and rescue us from things we cannot not handle on our own. These things seem as though they can quickly overwhelm us like torrential flood waters. It is not uncommon to find yourself, at some point in life, feeling despair, even if you are a Christian. What is problematic is, if as a Christian, you feel there is no one to save you.
The very basis of our relationship with God is one of being in need of salvation and a savior. If He can beat back Death, Hell and the grave, he can certainly deal with life’s difficulties. That was His entire point in coming, to deal with the worst challenge imaginable to man and inform us that He can also address everything else in our lives.
Our Heavenly Father doesn’t expect you to live a “pie-in-the-sky” lifestyle, pretending that everything is fine when it is not. He expected you to do what Hebrews 4:16 says,
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
The “time of need” means you are going to be in a struggle, a challenge, hurt, sick, or facing unsurmountable odds. He expects you to come to Him “boldly.” Why, because you “expect” Him to do something about it!
Let’s look at one of my favorite rescue passages, Psalms 18:1-29.
David starts this passage rejoicing in the existing relationship he has with God.
“I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:1-2
I am not saying that relationship is the only way He can rescue you, because all of us were saved before we developed a deep relationship with God. But I am saying, the closer you get, the more you love, the more you relate, the more you can expect from your Heavenly Father and your personal Savior.
Psalm 18:3-6 says,
“I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.”
David did exactly what God wants from us, he cried out for help. He was overwhelmed, in need of rescue and he knew just where to find help.
This next section is the most important passage, let’s see what God’s response is, Psalm 18:6b-19 says,
“From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
What a powerful picture of God coming to the aid of one of His own. If you are in despair today, cry out to God, and expect by faith him to respond on your behalf, just like he did for David.