The God Who Rescues
Posted by Karah
Pause
Focus your heart and mind on God by singing your favorite worship songs. Consider “Came to My Rescue” by Hillsong Live (The Very Best of Hillsong Live, 2010).
Think about a time when you needed someone to rescue you from something. Maybe you were involved in an accident, trapped by the consequences of your own decisions, or unable to free yourself from a situation. What kinds of emotions did you feel when your rescuer arrived? How did you feel when you were free? Jot down a few thoughts.
The truth is that we all need to be rescued from sin. It overpowers and enslaves us. There is nothing we can do to rescue ourselves. The good news is that God has already provided our rescue in Jesus.
Read Genesis 6:17-18 in your Bible and Romans 5:8-9 on this page. Keep both open at once and consider the questions below:
“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.” —Romans 5:8-9
What word begins both Romans 5:8 and Genesis 6:18? How does this word help us to see that something is about to change, that hope is on the way?
In both passages, sin caused the issue. But in both passages, God came through. How did He do that in each passage? Explain.
God provided the ark which saved Noah, his family, and the animals from God’s wrath against sin. How did Jesus do the same for us? Explain it in your own words.
The Point
God provided a rescue for Noah and He does the same for us in Jesus.
Respond
When you read Noah’s story, you can know that God values your life just as much as Noah’s. The thing is, you don’t have to build an ark to be rescued. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God built the bridge Himself; all He requires from you is faith.
When did you first realize that you were a sinner who needed to be rescued from sin? If you have never sought forgiveness from your sins and placed your faith in Christ, talk to someone about doing that today!
If you are a believer, thank Him for rescuing you. Praise Him for being your Rescuer.
For further study, read Galatians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:13; and 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10.
Behind the Story
God’s wrath didn’t end with the flood. God never changes, and His anger regarding sin is the same today as it was in the days of Noah. God is holy, and He cannot tolerate sin. But Christians can rest in Jesus because He took God’s wrath upon Himself on the cross so we would never have to face it.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions