Our God gives joy in the rescue. He gives us joy in our sacrifice. We are given a deep and abiding joy when we lay down our lives—a joy that cannot be realized in the security and comfort of our self-sufficiency. A joy that is realized as we hand ourselves over to him who is able, for his name’s sake and the rescue of others.
Overcoming the Fear to Go
If we stand on the sidelines and refuse to run toward those in need, we will miss out. We will never know God’s provision and sustenance found only in the midst of the mission. What’s more, Jesus said, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24). If we refuse to go, we will actually lose the very lives we’re holding on to.
We have been highly trained to rescue. We have the theological training to pursue this work—we know what we need to do. And the Holy Spirit himself equips us with “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19–20).
How tragic if we are found to be cowardly—like the police officer, or captain, or fireman who ran away when they were needed most. Let’s lay aside our own comforts, put our equipping to use, and run towards those in peril—whether they are across the street or across the ocean. Let’s not shrink back, but trust that Christ is with us and for us, and go.
This article originally appeared here.
