Just this morning the story was conveyed to me of a husband and wife who were traveling down a local highway when they noticed smoke billowing out from under the car in front of them. As the smoke turned to flames, the husband knew that if he did not do something quickly, the unsuspecting driver would be consumed by the flames. Finally, when it seemed that time for rescue had elapsed, the car left the road, came to a stop, and was quickly engulfed in flames. As the terrified couple looked on, the husband, without regard for his own life, decided to enter the burning vehicle and pull its now unresponsive driver to safety. Because of the smoke and heat the effort seemed hopeless, but after the third attempt the woman was heroically delivered from a fiery demise. The story, as it was told to me, contains every element of a newsworthy event, but there is more. One other detail causes us to look beyond the good fortune of the unsuspecting victim and the heroic act of her deliverer to catch a glimpse of the merciful hand of God. Neither the rescued nor her deliverer received serious injury in the incident!
There will be those who attribute this successful rescue to good luck rather than the intervention of the Almighty, but those of us who know God personally know that, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above… (James 1:17).
According to the Bible, because of our sin, we are all separated from God and condemned to eternal flames that were intended for the devil and his angels. But God, because of His great mercy has taken the penalty for our sin upon Himself. Jesus Christ, without regard for His own life, took your place in judgment to purchase your pardon and rescue you from eternal ruin. He died, was buried and rose from the dead to satisfy God’s just requirement for your sin. And now, …as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12). Because of Christ, your story can have a happy ending too!