A DARING RESCUE

By: Sellers Crain, Jr., Via The Rivergate Messenger, 4/13/03

For more than a week, 19 year old PFC Jessica Lynch was missing in action in Iraq after her unit, part of the Army’s 507th Maintenance Company, was ambushed near Nasiriyah. They were attacked by an Iraqi para-military-group after making a wrong turn. Along with other survivors of the attack, she was taken as a prisoner of war. During all of the time since her capture, her family did not know where she was or if she was living or dead. On April 2, in a daring late night raid on a hospital that was being used as a military outpost, some of every part of our armed forces were included and Jessica was rescued. She had several gunshot wounds, broken bones, and she said she had not eaten or drunk anything for eight days. She was in pain, but grateful to be free again. After being transported to a military hospital in Germany for treatment, her family was brought to Germany to visit with her. After her recovery, she will be returned to her home and family in the little town of Palestine, West Virginia where she grew up. Her entire hometown of slightly over 900 people is ready to give her a heroes welcome home. The governor of West Virginia has already given her a full scholarship to a state university where Jessica can prepare to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a school teacher.

Let me tell you about another daring rescue. Whether you realize it or not, we were once captives (Romans 6:16-20). We were held prisoner by Satan and his demonic forces (2 Timothy 2:26). Like Jessica’s unit, we had taken a wrong turn and had missed the mark (Romans 3:23). The Bible calls it SIN (I John 3:4). In that lost state, we were helpless and hopeless (Ephesians 2:12).

While we were in that captive state, God sent forth His Son to rescue us (Ephesians 4:4,5). He left his home in glory and entered the enemy’s domain of this sin cursed world. He came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) He paid the full price of our freedom (I Peter 1:18,19)

The bad news is that if you are in sin, you are captive to Satan. The good news is that you can be “Free indeed” (John 8:32,36). While Jesus accomplished His mission to rescue us successfully, we have to accept this gracious gift of freedom. This is done through faith and obedience to Christ. (John 8:24; Mark 16:16).

A living letter for Christ. What are we writing?