Our Salvation

It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in men. It is better to take refuge in him than in the mightiest king!

Though all the nations of the world attack me, I will march out behind his banner and destroy them. Yes, they surround and attack me, but with his flag flying above me I will cut them off. They swarm around me like bees; they blaze against me like a roaring flame. Yet beneath his flag I shall destroy them. You did your best to kill me, O my enemy, but the Lord helped me. He is my strength and song in the heat of battle, and now he has given me the victory. Songs of joy at the news of our rescue are sung in the homes of the godly. The strong arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

Psalm 118:8-16 (TLB)

When things go wrong, it can feel as if a heavy weight has fallen on our shoulders; in desperation to fix the problem we turn to others for help. When we need to deal with paperwork, repair a car, or seek medical help, we know where to turn to get the assistance we need. But what happens when the person who is supposed to help us fails or doesn't have time? We blame them for our problems, or we may even blame God.

When we seek the help of other people before we seek God's help, we lose sight of the central tenet of our faith; Christ is our salvation. We need to put all our hope in God because God is the ultimate source of our rescue. God knows every part of our lives, understands what we are going through, and is ready to move us toward the help we need. When we prioritize our relationship with God, we make room for God to act in our lives. When Christ is first in our lives, we can sense God's presence in every situation.

By Marko Pal'a from Presov Region, Slovakia.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of salvation. Forgive us when we fail to put you first in our lives. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.