God rescues
LENT
He (The Lord) lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn’t slip. ~ Psalm 40:2 (MSG)
Jesus said: I assure you that the time is coming—and is here!—when the dead will hear the voice of God’s Son, and those who hear it will live. ~ John 5:25 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
God rescues those who listen to him.
PRAYER:
Lord, you have a reputation for going into dangerous places to rescue your people. Jesus left the safety of the heavenly headquarters in order to jump into the mud to pull us out and onto a solid place of new life. I don't know why it is that I don't trust you more. You have certainly proven yourself over and over again. Please give me more faith. I'm going to live like someone who has been rescued from the worst possible fate. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
