GOD’S
DELIVERANCE
A LIFEGUARD was on duty when he noticed a gentleman was in trouble. He dove into the water and swam out to the struggling man, stopping about three feet from him. From this short distance, the lifeguard realized that the victim was a large fellow. Not wanting to be taken under, the lifeguard considered his dilemma. Not only was his ward sizable, he was also trying to save himself. He was afraid. He was swinging. He was panicking. He was in trouble. In an effort to save himself, the man was swinging wildly against the water and was draining his energy quickly.
The lifeguard continued to tread water at a short distance, not because he didn’t care but because he was waiting on the man to stop trying to save himself. He knew that he would be unable to save the drowning man as long as he was using his own methods, insisting on his own strength, and relying on his own ability. His cry for help contradicted his efforts to save himself. His approach was hindering the lifeguard’s planned approach.
Finally the man’s energy left and he had no more fight. When he stopped beating the water, stopped leaning on his own understanding, and stopped using his own methods, the lifeguard took over. The lifeguard worked his way around to the man’s back, reached over his shoulder, cupped the chin under his hand, and put an elbow in the middle of his shoulder blade. This allowed the man’s body to come closer to the surface of the water and rest on the hip of the lifeguard as he sidestroked in to the edge of the pool.
Even though the man was large, the rescue was possible because he was resting in the strength of his savior.
Once the man was calm, he thanked the lifeguard. He gave the lifeguard complete credit because he realized his own resources couldn’t have gotten him out of the mess he had found himself in.379
[Salvation, Need for; Surrender, Benefits of]
Ps. 33:16; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:8–9
THERE’S a magnificent hotel in the Bahamas. It’s named after the lost city of Atlantis. It is a monstrosity of a hotel and is viewed as one of the greatest hotels in the world. There is a water park in the middle of the hotel. In the middle of the water park is a water slide disguised as a huge Egyptian pyramid. This pyramid water slide goes straight down at lightning speed. Lines are always long for this slide. Not only is it a thriller, but as you go down you slide through an aquarium that holds some of the most dangerous fish in the world. The aquarium is contained by thick glass that acts as a barrier between the hotel guests and that which would eat them alive. That slide is a scary drop through a tank of scary fish, but there is a protective covering to keep the fish away from the visitors.
Sometimes life is a scary slide. Sometimes there seems to be trouble all around. But God protects those who fear Him and delivers them out of their trouble. Sometimes He keeps us from the trouble altogether; sometimes He lets us slide right on through. Either way, we come out on the other side.380
[Adversity; Life, Perspective on; Trials, Endurance during]
Ps. 34:4; James 1:2–4
THERE are a ton of Court TV shows on today. Most of those are true stories with real people. But normally, there is only one way you can get on the program. You have to agree in advance that all decisions by the judge are final. In other words, there can be no appeal. Whatever the judge renders is final in his court. God has a court, a judgment on earth, through the church, and all decisions are final as long as they are in keeping with the Word of God.381
[Judgment; Surrender, Concept of]
2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11–15