Living a rescued Life

The winter of 2009-2010 will long be remembered as the coldest and wettest ever. Not just here, but all over the world. I heard it was so cold in California, hitchhikers were holding up pictures of thumbs this year. OK, that’s not very good, let’s try this one: It was so cold two weeks ago, my grandmother’s teeth were chattering — in the glass. Yes, that’s better. Thank you I am here all night.While I am not sure of how to tell a good, “It was so cold...” joke, I am sure of two things — it has been cold this winter, and Al Gore will blame it on global warming.

Winter in Warsaw

Three week’s ago, the temperature fell to -31 F in Poland and every river they have was frozen. The day the ice broke and the river began to flow again, also happened to be the day a full-blood German Shepherd, Lucky we will call him, was crossing the ice through the city.

In a matter of moments, Lucky found himself floating on a small patch of ice and headed down river. People in town spotted the dog, and the fire department spent more than an hour trying to rescue Lucky. They gave up when the river moved faster and more ice broke free.

Two days later, the captain of a fishing boat spotted something strange in the middle of the Baltic Sea. “My crew saw a shape moving on the water and we immediately decided to get closer to check if it was a dog or maybe a seal relaxing on the ice,” said Jan Joachim, senior officer aboard the Baltica. “As we got closer to the ice flow, we saw that it was a dog struggling not to fall into the water.”

Ship engineer Adam Buczynski managed to scoop the dog off the ice and into an inflatable dinghy and wrapped him in a blanket.“He didn't even squeal,” he said.Lucky had traveled more than 70 miles down river and 18 miles out to sea. That makes him the Indiana Jones of German shepherds I think. The Brewer calls Lucky one blessed dog.

Rescued and Saved

I think it is important for you and I, as Christians, to live lives that demonstrate how we have been rescued.You show me a person who has been rescued from certain death and I will show you somebody who loves life and wants to live it. Nobody comes out from under the rubble of a collapsed building with a bad attitude about what a privilege it is to be alive.

Just like that, nobody with a real revelation of what it means to be saved or rescued by Christ pines for the good ol’ days and hates living today. I hope it is evident in our relationships and in the way we face the day, that you and I live the lives of rescued people. Jesus Christ has saved us in every way a person can be saved.

“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” — Romans 10:13

Troy Brewer pastors Open Door Ministries near Joshua and Crowley and can be reached at www.freshfromthebrewer.com or www.troybrewer.com