15 May, 2008
Can you count on being rescued?
Does God always rescue His people?
China Races to Save Quake Victims
A survivor stretches his hand out from the debris of a collapsed building at the earthquake-hit Beichuan County, about 160 km (99 miles) northeast of the epicenter of Wenchuan County, Sichuan province, May 13, 2008.(Stringer/Reuters)
On Jianshe Street in the devastated center of the town of Dujiangyan, amid mud and trash and slabs of concrete sheared from building facades, a group of young soldiers in green-gray raincoats stand in a semicircle, chests out and arms interlocked. They face off against the mourners and gawkers who have come to watch the bodies being carried out of the pile of tangled gray debris that was once the Xinjian Elementary School.
Monday's earthquake, China's deadliest since 1976 when more than 200,000 died in a magnitude 7.5 temblor in the northeast city of Tangshan, has jolted the country into a frenzied race against time and death. Chinese state-run media estimated that there are 25,000 people trapped in collapsed structures in the quake zone, including 18,645 people in Mianyang, a city of more than 5 million. President Hu Jintao called for an all-out response. About 100,000 relief workers, including soldiers, police and medical teams, are working in the affected areas, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said on state television.
On the streets of Dujiangyan the rescue troops are ubiquitous. Military vehicles are lined up, and People's Armed Police and People's Liberation Army soldiers, kitted out in crisp, matching green camouflage, are battling rain and rubble as they try to reach trapped survivors and control emotional crowds.
photo & story courtesy news.yahoo.com, 5/14/08
Proverbs 11:6-8 (NLT)
6 The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about God rescuing people from trouble?
When you quickly read today's scripture, it seems to say that God is always going to deliver us (Christ's followers) from trouble.
This is another example of why it's so important to study all of God's Word and why some verses can be misunderstood if they are read out of the full context.
One of the themes of Proverbs is the difference between the life of a godly person and an ungodly person. Not every verse is a promise from God, but rather a general truth that is intended to challenge people to live for God rather than themselves.
Today's verses point out two different paths in life but they don't apply to everyone in every circumstance. Trouble is still a normal part of life for God's people. Even if we are abiding in Jesus every day, we're still going to experience problems and the need to be delivered.
If we follow the path of God's wisdom, we can be confident that God will ultimately rescue us, but it may mean that we experience ongoing suffering until He rescues us from this earthly life and takes us home to His eternal Heaven.
But a wicked person will continue to make their own trap of destruction, without the hope of being delivered for eternity. Sobering, isn't it?
We don't know the true spiritual condition of each of the thousands of Chinese people who still need to be rescued, we do know that our loving Heavenly Father cares for them and we should pray for their rescue. Praying for others is evidence that we desire to stay on the path of Godly wisdom.
We can always pray for God to deliver us, but are we willing trust Him for His ultimate rescue?
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Praise God that He has the ultimate, perfect plan for your life! Ask Him to give you the faith you need to always be ready and willing for the "ultimate rescue". As His child, if you need some sort of rescue in your life, ask Him for it right now. Thank God that because of Christ in your life, you can look forward to eternal life, even if it's not God's plan to deliver you from your earthly trouble right now.
- In your journal, keep track of how God delivers you from different troubles in your life. Review this every week to see what God is doing and what you are learning.
- Try reading through the book of Proverbs in one month. One chapter a day will help you see the big picture of God's truths.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray every day for people to be rescued in China, both physically and spiritually.
- Pray for a Christ-like attitude toward others and their troubles, because God may want to use you to help rescue someone.
- Lots of movies and TV shows have a rescue theme. When watching with family and friends who need Jesus, look for the opportunity to share your story of how Jesus rescued you.
- Share today's DAILYBIDE with another follower of Jesus who needs some encouragement while waiting to be delivered by God.
- July 2008 [18]
- June 2008 [13]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [19]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [19]
- November 2007 [17]
- October 2007 [20]
- September 2007 [19]
- August 2007 [18]
- July 2007 [13]
- June 2007 [11]
- May 2007 [14]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [12]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [5]
- November 2006 [14]
- October 2006 [18]
- September 2006 [12]
- August 2006 [17]
- July 2006 [11]
- June 2006 [4]
