God to the Rescue - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 29

God to the Rescue
By Whitney Hopler

“Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me…” – Psalm 69:16-18 NIV

After driving over a pothole, one of the tires on my car went flat. I called for roadside assistance and was advised that a tow truck couldn’t reach me for nearly three hours. My car had no spare tire, and none of the agents I spoke with on the phone could send assistance any sooner. But as soon as I hung up with customer service, I contacted God. In my roadside prayer, I asked God to rescue me by sending help as soon as possible. I had only just finished praying when a call came in from a towing company that had “Blessed” in its name. The representative told me he got my information from the roadside assistance company. While he didn’t have a tow truck available then, and I had no spare tire, he said he thought he could use a tire repair kit to help – and he was just a few minutes away.

He did show up quickly, and remarkably, he successfully repaired the tire with only a simple kit. As I thanked him, I told him that I loved the name of his business. “I’m blessed every day, so I wanted to thank God by choosing that name,” he said. “That’s great,” I replied, “and God is using you to bless me today.”

As I drove safely on the patched tire to the dealer for a tire replacement, I was overcome with gratitude that I wasn’t stuck by the side of the road for hours waiting. Even when customer service agents couldn’t help me, God could. God came to my rescue by answering my prayer for quick help. Psalm 69:16-18 NIV presents an urgent call for God’s help. In his love and mercy, it asks God to provide quick help during trouble. That’s exactly the same type of help I received after my urgent prayer. Whenever you’re in trouble, you, too, can count on quick help from God. It may come in a way you don’t expect, but God will send it to you. Jesus tells us in John 16:33 NIV: 

“… In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

God’s power is enough to help you overcome any trouble you’ll ever face. Not only will God rescue you when you ask for his help, but he’ll do so right on time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV says, "There is a time for everything,” and 2 Peter 3:9 NIV declares: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise...”. God’s timing is perfect. He knows just the right time to send help whenever you need to be rescued from a situation. So, the next time you find yourself in trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to God for the help you need. You can trust God to set a rescue plan in motion as soon as you pray.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
As you reflect on how God will come to your rescue when you’re in trouble, consider these questions:

• Think back to a recent crisis in your life. How did God come to your rescue, then?
• How can you deepen your faith in God to increase your trust in his ability to help you through the next crisis you encounter?
• How can you turn your worries into prayers so you’re well-prepared to seek God’s help in times of trouble?
• What steps can you take to let go of your worries and surrender your concerns to God, trusting that he will work everything out for your good?
• How can you rely on God's promises and faithfulness to provide you with the strength and courage you need to face everyday challenges?
• How can you seek support and encouragement from other believers to remind you of God's love and presence in your life, especially when dealing with a troubling situation?

Further Reading:

• Psalm 34:17
• Psalm 46:1
• Isaiah 43:2
• 2 Corinthians 1:10
• Hebrews 13:6

Photo Credit: Getty Images/ Milos-Muller

Whitney Hopler is the author of the Wake Up to Wonder book and the Wake Up to Wonder blog, which help people thrive through experiencing awe. She leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Whitney has served as a writer, editor, and website developer for leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She has also written the young adult novel Dream Factory. Connect with Whitney on Twitter and Facebook.

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