Salvation!

There is a story in Chile that has been unfolding for months. It's the story of more than 30 miners who have been trapped underground. It's a story I have been thinking about as I watch the efforts to rescue them.

This story has amazing similarities to the dilemma the human race is in regarding sin. We, like those miners, have been trapped! In spite of our best efforts we cannot get out of this mess ourselves. We are trapped! We need someone to rescue us. That is the drama of the last few months as millions have been spent to drill down to them, to save them, to rescue them.

They are trapped in their cave. There is no way out by their own efforts. Someone has to help them, dig them out and save them. As I thought about these men and their helpless situation it struck me that the human race is in a similar situation. We are trapped by sin and cannot rescue ourselves. We need help! We need someone to save us.

That is what the good news is about- God's rescue plan for the human race. Since we are unable to save ourselves he made his way to us and provided a way out...Deliverance! Rescue! Freedom! Salvation! It's only when we realize how helpless we are that we look for help from someone else. These miners know they cannot save themselves and so they wait...they wait for salvation.

How many of them will take advantage of salvation when it comes? How many will get in the recovery pod to be brought back to life by someone else? Do you think any of them will decline? Will there be any who would say, "No thank you, I can save myself. I don't need anyone else to save me. I'll do it myself, thank you very much." To even write these words is silly. None will remain behind. None will believe they can rescue themselves. All will respond to the saving work of others. All of these men will gladly say "YES!" to salvation.

Like these miners the human race is trapped and in need of salvation. God has come and done for us what we could never do for ourselves. He has rescued us, provided a way out....he's sent the recovery pod for us. Why would any say no to his wonderful rescue plan? Why would any turn down God's gift? Here is his salvation plan for mankind. Who wouldn't want to be rescued from the dark pit of sin and death? Who wouldn't respond to this free gift of life?

John 3:16-18 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him."