Rescue me!

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. (John Wesley)

Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. (Psalm 34:11-14)

Work to maintain it. Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes we make is to not apply ourselves 'enough' to what it is we are taught about how to live among our fellow man. We speak without thinking, tell half-truths when the full truth would make us uncomfortable, seek things God clearly says will entangle and ensnare us, and then wonder where our peace has gone. We gave it away without even noticing that we were doing it! Now we find ourselves trying to get it back, while trying to mend what is so broken in our world today.

In the 'search and rescue' business, there is a timeframe to the 'search' and 'rescue' portion of that work. At some point, it turns to a 'search and recover' mission. What is the difference? The first portion believes there is hope of finding the lost with life left in them. The latter portion no longer believes life is probable. When we consider the condition of some of our relationships today, do they need a little 'search and rescue', or are they way beyond 'probable life'? The peace we once had within those relationships was disturbed, making the 'rescue' necessary, but is 'recovery' possible?

In terms of search and rescue, five to seven days is the norm. In terms of our earthly relationships, the timeframe can vary, but at some point, it gets harder and harder to find life within them again once they are neglected for so long or left to fester on old hurts. Perhaps this is why Paul reminds us, "And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." The sooner we seek to rescue a damaged relationship, the better the outcome will be!

In terms of our heavenly relationship with Jesus, the timeframe for 'rescue' never expires. While God would have us realize we lost our way sooner than later, his grace has no 'expiration date'. If we find ourselves lost and feeling hopeless, our peace having left us somewhere along the way, it is never too late to send out that SOS call to him. Just sayin!