"Hanging On"
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18
It was a day just like any other for Atlanta's Malcolm Milliones. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18
Milliones had stopped at a service station to fill up his SUV. He told his eight-year-old son to remain strapped into his chair in the back seat while he went to the pump. Before Milliones could begin filling, he heard his vehicle's engine start up. Not knowing what was going on, and confused by the unexpected start-up, Milliones hurried back to the driver's door.
There he discovered the problem. A boy, around the age of 14, had jumped into the SUV's driver's seat, started the vehicle, and was putting it into gear.
Milliones did the only thing he could think of. He put his hand through the window and hung on.
He hung on for dear life as the SUV pulled out of the station. As they gained speed, Milliones began to bang on the vehicle and started to shout: "Stop the car! Get out of the car! My son's in the car!" He continued to shout, bang and hold on for a quarter mile: a very long quarter mile.
Then, finally, Milliones could hold on no longer.
The vehicle made a turn and Milliones was thrown free. As he hit the pavement, his arm snapped. Helplessly, he watched as the SUV traveled down the road. But as he watched, Milliones realized the SUV was no longer important.
You see, while Milliones was distracting the car thief, his son managed to get out of his seat. When the vehicle slowed to make its turn, Milliones' son had opened the SUV's door and jumped out. He was taken to the hospital and treated for a few bumps and bruises.
When I heard that story, I was impressed. The father did what was necessary to save his son.
Which is, my friends, not so very different than what our Heavenly Father has done. When Satan introduced sin into this world and stole his earthly children, God refused to sit back and watch helplessly.
On the contrary, God hung on.
When the entire world, with the exception of Noah and his family had rejected Him, God hung on. He hung on when the children of Israel murmured, when they threw off His rule and demanded a king. God hung on when His people regularly flirted with idols. God hung on and sent His Son to save us.
So that we might be rescued from our kidnappers, Jesus gave His life on Calvary's cross. It was the price He paid for our rescue, for our forgiveness, so we might be given saving faith.
And now, even now, God is hanging on. The Holy Spirit does not just call us to faith; He keeps us in that faith. And now, as the world drives away, the Lord is glad to see you and I are safe ... all because He hung on.
PRAYER:Dear Lord, only Your supreme love could have hung on so we might be saved. Humanity has shown itself to be unworthy of rescue, but You were faithful and held on to save us. For our forgiveness and eternal freedom we give thanks. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
1 Kings 12-13; Acts 11
