Rescued
By Elizabeth Cole
For
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom
of the Son He loves, in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians
1:13-14
One of my favorite movie characters of all
times is Jocopo in The Count of Monte
Cristo. He’s the one who’s facing sure execution by his fellow-pirates
right when the innocent Count washes up onshore after a daring prison escape.
Forced into a knife fight to the death, the Count overpowers Jocopo, but then
negotiates with the pirate captain to save his life. In utter gratitude, Jocopo
commits, “From here on out, I am your man.”
He makes good on that statement and faithfully serves the Count the rest
of his life, constant in his obedience and love for his master. Wholehearted
and single-minded.
He was a rescued man.
In his sermon last fall, one of my pastors
asked this crystal-clear question: “Are you living as if you’ve been
rescued?” I have heard its echo ever
since. It’s captivated my thoughts and, I pray, is impacting my actions more
and more. If I truly grasp even a portion of what I’ve been rescued from and rescued for…wouldn’t my life be one of gratitude, expressed through love
toward others? Wouldn’t I faithfully serve my Rescuer in obedience and constant
awareness of His desires for my life? Wholehearted? Single-minded?
I began a list of what I’ve been rescued from:
from
sin’s penalty of eternal separation from God.
from
the verdict of aloneness.
from
enslavement to my dark side.
from
chains of complete self-absorption.
from
shackles of my own shallowness.
from
an existence of purposelessness.
And the start of the list of what I’ve been
rescued for:
for
a love relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
for
allowing God to express His love to others through me.
for
victory over destructive actions.
for
participation in God’s grand plan to restore and redeem.
for
making a difference and doing good works chosen in advance for me to do.
for
living in biblical community in a way that is winsome to others.
for
a life that’s whole and holy.
I am a rescued woman.
What incredible lists. Yet, here’s the rub
for me: In the busy-ness of life, I find myself distracted from the truth of my
rescue. Rather than wholehearted, I’m “kinda-sorta-mostly-hearted.” Rather than
single-minded, I’m…well, prone to wander.
It’s time for a stake in the ground once
again. A moment where I confess my brokenness once more to my Rescuer and ask
for His love to compel me. To say to my Rescuer, “Lord Jesus, from here on out,
I am your woman.” Wholehearted. Single-minded.
You? You’re a rescued woman.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
How will you express gratitude to your Rescuer today?
FURTHER
READING:
Elizabeth is a wife
and mother of three grown daughters. She is the Director of Connecting and of
We Women at Oakwood Church.
