Our World Still Needs A Savior

News feeds splash headlines every day about the chaos in our world and the polarization that increases in our country, but I have found a new joy in spite of it all. While listening to a few Christmas carols this year, I have seen the depth of despair that we have in common with all the generations who have come before us. Our world is in no more misery than the eras before us. While that may not seem like a very happy thought to ponder during the Christmas season, it has increased my peace and sense of wonder! 

Why? Because I don't need to get caught up in the hype. My sense of security doesn't need to crumble. God has given us an amazing gift in the birth, life, death and resurrection of His one and only Son. Because of this life-changing gift, we can face the uncertainties of life and the challenges that are all too common to mankind. Listen to the words of these carols...

Free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of hell Thy people save

O come, Messiah, come again, and rid the world of death and sin.

(O Come O Come Emmanuel)

Set Thy people free

From our fears and sins release us

Let us find our rest in Thee

(Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus)

The circumstances might have been different in the days of Christ’s birth as well as in the day when these carols were written, but the uncertainty of life was just like what we face today. The tyranny of Satan. Sin, fear and death. The hope of salvation. The desire to be rescued. The promise of a Savior. These are all things that the generations who have come and gone before us have all yearned for in one way or another.

Noah was rescued as was Moses, Joshua and the Israelites. Joseph was rescued even though betrayed by his own brothers. David was rescued time and time again as he faced more than one kind of giant! Even Lot has a testimony of Godly rescue. One that is usually only seen through a tainted lens, but listen to these words in 2 Peter 2:7-8. "...He [God] rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard).” Yes, Lot had been tainted by sin, just as you and I have been. He was tormented "in his righteous soul" by the sin of his day, but God rescued him!

How humbling it is to think of where we’ve been and what we’ve done in life. We live in an evil world. We have been tainted by sin and have lived out the cry of Paul in Romans 7 that speaks of our common desire to do good amidst our failure in the follow through. We constantly face the tension of evil that tugs at our hearts and minds. We, too, cry out: “What a wretched man (woman) am I! Who will rescue me…?” Thankfully, we can answer this question just as Paul did. With confidence we can proclaim to the world around us that Jesus Christ is our deliverer!

In our witness to the world, others will see the Savior that we serve. The One who is our Hope and our Deliverer. The One to whom even King Darius proclaimed “For He is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.” (Daniel 6:26b-27a) This pagan king saw the life of Daniel and decreed to his kingdom that Daniel’s living God “has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:27b) Daniel lived out his faith, trusted God for the outcome and quietly bore witness to the miraculous work of the one true God!

God has been in the business of rescuing from the beginning of time. Jesus, the baby, born in a manger. Our rescuer and redeemer was born to save the world. To set men free from their sins. To reconcile us with our Holy God. God 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 1:9-14) This same Jesus, “will rescue me from every evil attack…rescues us from the coming wrath…and will bring [us] safely to his heavenly kingdom.” (2 Timothy 4:18, 1 Thessalonians 1:10b) That is amazing! We are just as important to rescue as Moses was while floating in a basket in the Nile River and when David was delivered from his enemies. We have a Savior who looks at the chaos in our world and is not surprised or overwhelmed!

Our world still needs a Savior. Jesus, born in a manger. Emmanuel, God with us. He came to save ordinary people like Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. He came to save ordinary people like you and like me - like our neighbors, our relatives, co-workers and friends.

I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor ordinary people like you and like I

(I Wonder as I wander)

Ordinary people like you and like I – celebrating the birth of our Savior. Our rescuer and redeemer! 

As you go about the next few days leading up to Christmas Sunday and more holiday celebrations, may you find a little more joyful anticipation and awe as you reflect on the precious gift of rescue that you have received in Jesus. May your peace be multiplied as you enjoy the warm embrace and security of being held within the arms of our Heavenly Father. And, may you sense the "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-4)

May God call multitudes to himself this Christmas. Those in need of a Savior. May we ever be mindful to pray for them and to bear witness of His love and grace. To Him be glory for ever and ever!