Fear Not, for I AM with You
Greetings in the Lord!
You know those stories we sometimes hear about how the interviewee was in a terrible situation and calling out to God and they were saved at the last moment? Maybe someone passed by at just the right time and heard their cries for help, or the rescue team came upon them right before they would have died and gave them the help they needed? Those saved almost always give thanks to God publicly. Probably because only they know how urgently they were calling to God for help before the help miraculously arrived on the scene. And, as we know, it wasn't their desperation that got God's attention, but the fact that they had put their faith in Him to deliver them. Just like in the middle of a playground where kids are laughing and screaming and making all kinds of noise, a mother can recognize her child's cries immediately and runs to see what's the matter. That's the way it is with God; He hears the cry of faith, the one who turns to Him as the end-all-be-all and responds.
The issue is about putting our faith in God for salvation--and that's the great thing about being desperate, it will cause us to not care about what other people think or rationalize our urgent behavior--we just cry out to God in voice and action because we believe only He can save us!
That is why I like today's words. They are two stories illustrating this point coming from Luke 18:35-19:10. Jesus was on his way into Jericho and a blind beggar was hearing all the commotion. Asking what was going on, he was told, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." More than recognizing an opportunity to meet Jesus and be healed, I believe the blind man was crying out from his soul to be delivered from a place of spiritual captivity. In those days, to have such an affliction it was often thought that it was the result of sin, so I'm sure the man wanted to be healed physically as much as inwardly for his soul. So, in his desperation, he persistently cries out to Jesus, believing that only He can heal and save him.
"Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." The man was healed and began to praise God.
Next, a little, but rich man named Zacchaeus was also so determined to see Jesus that he climbed a tree to look over the crowd. Again, realize that his odd, urgent behavior was motivated by a distraught cry in his soul for salvation. He desperately wanted to be freed from his sin and spiritual captivity and believed Jesus was that Savior. Jesus , recognizing his act done in faith, came to him in the tree and asked to go to his house. There over dinner, Zacchaeus decreed he would give half of his wealth away to the poor and repay four times to anyone who had been cheated in their taxes. Not caring how irrational his actions would seem to others, this man was desperate for salvation and showed his belief in Jesus as Savior through his actions. Amen! Because of that, Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:9
So today's word is a good reminder to us, to the lost, to the desperate in spirit, that Jesus came to seek and to save. He is the Savior of the world! He will not abandon us to the grave, but will hear our cries for help, made in faith, and is well able to save us.
"I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My salvation comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip--He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep..."
"The Lord will keep you from all harm--He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:1-4, 7-8.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
You know those stories we sometimes hear about how the interviewee was in a terrible situation and calling out to God and they were saved at the last moment? Maybe someone passed by at just the right time and heard their cries for help, or the rescue team came upon them right before they would have died and gave them the help they needed? Those saved almost always give thanks to God publicly. Probably because only they know how urgently they were calling to God for help before the help miraculously arrived on the scene. And, as we know, it wasn't their desperation that got God's attention, but the fact that they had put their faith in Him to deliver them. Just like in the middle of a playground where kids are laughing and screaming and making all kinds of noise, a mother can recognize her child's cries immediately and runs to see what's the matter. That's the way it is with God; He hears the cry of faith, the one who turns to Him as the end-all-be-all and responds.
The issue is about putting our faith in God for salvation--and that's the great thing about being desperate, it will cause us to not care about what other people think or rationalize our urgent behavior--we just cry out to God in voice and action because we believe only He can save us!
That is why I like today's words. They are two stories illustrating this point coming from Luke 18:35-19:10. Jesus was on his way into Jericho and a blind beggar was hearing all the commotion. Asking what was going on, he was told, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." More than recognizing an opportunity to meet Jesus and be healed, I believe the blind man was crying out from his soul to be delivered from a place of spiritual captivity. In those days, to have such an affliction it was often thought that it was the result of sin, so I'm sure the man wanted to be healed physically as much as inwardly for his soul. So, in his desperation, he persistently cries out to Jesus, believing that only He can heal and save him.
"Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." The man was healed and began to praise God.
Next, a little, but rich man named Zacchaeus was also so determined to see Jesus that he climbed a tree to look over the crowd. Again, realize that his odd, urgent behavior was motivated by a distraught cry in his soul for salvation. He desperately wanted to be freed from his sin and spiritual captivity and believed Jesus was that Savior. Jesus , recognizing his act done in faith, came to him in the tree and asked to go to his house. There over dinner, Zacchaeus decreed he would give half of his wealth away to the poor and repay four times to anyone who had been cheated in their taxes. Not caring how irrational his actions would seem to others, this man was desperate for salvation and showed his belief in Jesus as Savior through his actions. Amen! Because of that, Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:9
So today's word is a good reminder to us, to the lost, to the desperate in spirit, that Jesus came to seek and to save. He is the Savior of the world! He will not abandon us to the grave, but will hear our cries for help, made in faith, and is well able to save us."I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My salvation comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip--He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep..."
"The Lord will keep you from all harm--He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:1-4, 7-8.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Comments