Have you heard the story about Lassie running to Timmy’s mother and barking a couple of times. His mother famously replies, “What’s that, Lassie? Timmy fell down a well?” Timmy was always being rescued. Today’s message contains a real-life story of an amazing rescue.

In the television show Lassie there were many rescues. Timmy was always in a perilous situation. He tended to fall into dangerous places. He fell into two lakes, a gap between two railroad cars, two abandoned mines, quicksand, and a badger hole. It might surprise you to discover that although the joke about Timmy in the well is well known, Timmy never fell into a well. The joke was merely poking fun at Lassie’s amazing ability to communicate an entire ordeal with just a few barks. No matter what trouble Timmy found himself in, Lassie was always there to save the day.

Much like Timmy, throughout our lifetime, we all tend to fall into precarious places. We frequently find ourselves at the bottom of the well, stuck in the mire of life. We often need to be rescued. In real life, it’s not Lassie who comes to save us. Jesus is the one who is always ready to pull us out of the well.

In Psalms 30:2-4 the psalmist writes, “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.”

Stop for a moment to reread and and reflect on this verse, “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”  Has God ever rescued you from a harrowing situation? Has He pulled you from the quicksand of sin? Have you given praise to God by telling your story of being saved? Perhaps God is trying right now to rescue you from something?

Unfortunately, many people today only have a cursory knowledge of Jesus. Too often, it is merely a historical knowledge. They have heard about His virgin birth, His miracles, His crucifixion and maybe even His miraculous resurrection from the dead. Some people choose to dismiss the life of Jesus as simply an interesting tale from long ago. They haven’t yet experienced a personal connection to His saving power.

Perhaps if they heard your story, they would become more interested in Jesus. If they heard your firsthand account of being rescued, maybe their desire to discover more about Jesus would be awakened. Have you ever shared the story of your rescue?

Verse 5 from Psalms 30 states, “Sing praise to the LORD, you faithful; give thanks to his holy memory.” Later it says, “To you, LORD, I cried out; with the Lord I pleaded for mercy.” The psalm continues with these words “Hear, O LORD, have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper.” Have you cried out to the Lord with those words? I have!

Verse 12 states, “You changed my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” Finally the psalmist writes, “O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.” Do you continually give thanks to God?

If we told others the story of our rescue, if we shared with them about how we cried out to the Lord and He saved us, how would our story impact them? Would it bolster their faith? Have we told others how God routinely changes our mourning into dancing and how He replaces our sackcloth with gladness? If we sang God’s praises by telling what He has done for us, it might just help others see Christ from a personal, rather than a historical perspective?

Today’s message was inspired by a cross I recently saw for sale online. I have ordered it and I am anxiously waiting to receive it. You can see it below. This cross seems to depict Jesus, reaching up to hold tight to His Father’s hand, while at the same time reaching down to pull someone from the muck and mire at the bottom of the well of life. This cross spoke to my soul. It reminded me of how Jesus rescued me from the bottom of the pit. Perhaps it will speak to you as well.

If you have already experienced this type of rescue in your life, give praise to God by sharing your story with others. If you are currently stuck at the bottom of the well, reach up for your Savior’s hand so that you too will have a story to tell.

Lassie and Timmy made for a fun fictional television show. Timmy never was at the bottom of the well. In real life, we all eventually seem to end up there. Our real story of being rescued by Jesus is a more compelling story than Timmy and Lassie. Let’s go tell our rescue story today!

Heavenly Father, I have been at the bottom of the well and your Son rescued me. I will praise His name forever. Lord, sadly some people have not yet reached out for His saving hand. Allow your Holy Spirit to stir their hearts. Help them to call out to Jesus today so that He can rescue them too. Amen! 

AMDG

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Brian Pusateri
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