Have you ever been rescued from a stormy sea?

 

Or, maybe rescued from some other perilous circumstances…   a tornado, a blizzard, a fire, an illness?

 

If you have then you know how terrifying the danger can be…   and feeling like you might not make it. And then, to have the huge sense of relief when help comes and you realize everything is going to be OK…   you’ve been rescued!

 

Everyday life can be terrifying as well…   our daily lives can leave us feeling like ‘we might not make it’. We face loneliness and isolation. We face fear, doubt, and worry. We face struggles and suffering. We face failures. We face circumstances beyond our control.

 

This is the life of SIN. Sin doesn’t just mean moral wrongs like lying, cheating, and stealing. I refer to these as (s)ins (little ‘s’), and they are just symptoms of the BIG problem: (S)in. Sin is the life we try and live under our own power and authority without giving God the rightful place in our lives- Lord. When we try and live under our own power and authority we become separated from God, God’s will, and God’s plan. And, even though God still loves us, we may even become separated from feeling God’s love and presence in our lives. All of this leaves us feeling lonely, anxious, exhausted, ashamed, and out of control…   and it can be terrifying.

 

The Good News of Jesus is that God still wants to be the Lord and center of our lives.  And, even though we’ve rejected God with many of our live priorities and choices, God still makes a way to rescue us from ourselves and relieve us from our Sin. We must honestly acknowledge our struggle…   and then let go and let God. Jesus Rescues!

 

²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. ²² For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, ²³ but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:21-25)

This week St. Andrew UMC is hosting 'Shipwrecked' VBS. We are excited to lead our children on a journey of exploration and discovery as they find faith and hope in the love of God. Each day we tackle one of life's challenges with the truth that...   Jesus rescues!

 

Pastor Erik