Jesus came to rescue

The reality is that life is risky. From an early age we are taught how to manage the various risks of life from how to cross a road safely to how to put food on our table. Risk management may minimise the impact or decrease the probability of unfortunate events but it doesn’t necessarily prevent them.

Last Weekend Fin and Beth led the service as I was travelling back from a few days away in Snowdonia. During my time there I enjoyed several trips in the mountains. The hills were especially busy as lots of people had the same idea of making the most of the great weather. As is often the case, the busier the mountains become the more accidents that happen. From our vantage point we saw a rescue helicopter make two rescues and also walked past the Mountain Rescue Team as they escorted a person off the hill on crutches with his leg in a splint. Thankfully my trip went without any serious issues, but the reality is there is always a chance that it could have been me being lifted off in a chopper. Indeed, as I looked across the horizon I could see the spot of an incident I was involved in around 20 years previously when a friend I was walking with stumbled off the side of a cliff and fell a long way. On that day I followed the guidance of the Mountain Rescue team, who literally saved my friends life:

If you feel you need our help, you should request it by dialling 999 which may result in guidance or we’ll call a team together to come and help.

The reality is that life is risky. From an early age we are taught how to manage the various risks of life from how to cross a road safely to how to put food on our table. Risk management may minimise the impact or decrease the probability of unfortunate events but it doesn’t necessarily prevent them. Like journeying through the mountains our lives will include many valleys and peaks both with unique challenges. Little did we know last Christmas what challenges 2020 would bring. It is with great sadness that this week further measures have had to be introduced to try to manage the impact of the coronavirus. Such measures try to strike the fine balance of risk management, giving generously in some areas while taking away severely in others to try to avoid the standstill of the previous lockdown. Certainly, I would not want to be in the shoes of the global leaders who are trying to navigate this deep valley.

Perhaps, today the world needs a rescuer more than ever. For many of us this period has invoked a deep sense of loss of control, confusion and helplessness. But who do we call if we are stuck but not on a mountain?

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. (Ezekiel 34:11-12)

If you feel you need God’s help, you should request it by praying, literally speaking, to him which may result in guidance or He’ll call a team together, led by his son Jesus, to come and help. Jesus Christ our rescuer, who descended into the deepest valley in order to save us all https://youtu.be/sAg7rn7fH3Q.