Who Doesn’t Love A Good Rescue?

Years ago my brother rescued an owl ensnared in a barbed wire fence. The more it tried to free itself, the more it entangled toward death. That is our story, too. We were snared by sin which binds, harms, kills, and forever separates us from our Father. The more we try to free ourselves, the more spiritually entangled and closer to death we become. But when we release all hope in ourselves, and submit to our Rescuer who alone can save, we are set free.

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,

for it does not submit to God’s law;

indeed, it cannot.”

Romans 8:7

Jesus didn’t just stop what He was doing, don gloves, and grab a towel to save us. Jesus suffered betrayal, mocking, and an excruciating death on the cross to rise again and set us free. By believing in Him, His death gives us life as His blood washes away our sin. He desires for us to be showcases of His ability to set free and heal, so that others might receive Him as Savior, too.

“For while we were still weak,

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,

Christ died for us.”

(from Romans 5:6-8)

The owl submitted to the rescue, then healed and strengthened at a rescue facility. Hurray! We see why the angels rejoice when even one submits to the Gospel to abide in Christ.

“I will seek the lost,

and I will bring back the strayed,

and I will bind up the injured,

and I will strengthen the weak,

and the fat and the strong I will destroy.

I will feed them in justice.”

Ezekiel 34:16