5-18-2017

Good Morning All

                  Psalm 121: 1-2; “I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

    I love old western movies.  I love the ones when there are usually settlers trying to cross the southwestern part of the United States.  Just as they get out in the middle of nowhere; something bad happens.  Sometimes a wheel falls off or the horses run off or the chased by a band of renegades who are trying to kill them.  They usually end up in a box canyon with no way out.  They are running out of water and are usually getting ready to shoot the last bullet they have.  They all have their pistols with the one last bullet that they save for themselves rather than be captured and tortured.  It is as bleak as it can get.

    Then it happens.  You know it is coming but it is still great.  You hear it first before you see it.  You hear the bugle playing “charge!”; then you hear the rumble and the thunder of the horses’ hooves.  I’ve always thought how intimidating that must have been to the enemy who was either on foot or at least on the ground.  I read one time that the mounted riders would yell and “whoop” and make all kinds of noise.  All this would have struck fear in the hearts of the enemy.  The cavalry arrives!  The bad guys are driven off; the hero kisses his horse and the west is safe again.

    Yes, the movies are formulaic.  They all follow the same pattern but so do most movies series or genres.  There is tension but there is always resolution.  You can always count on the cavalry to arrive and save the day.  It works great in the movies but sometimes, in the real world, it is not that simple.  Sometimes you don’t hear the bugle.

    Usually, when we find ourselves in some form of distress; we look around for help and want the cavalry to arrive.  We keep looking for some intense show of force or change.  We want God to do something dramatic; we want the cavalry to arrive in just the nick of time.  But why do we want that?  Why do we want it in just the nick of time when the cavalry arrived years ago on Calvary? 

    When Jesus died upon the cross, carrying your sins upon his back for you, God sent the dramatic thundering rescue for you.  The devil and his minions shook with fear and ran away in terror.  Their reign was over.  The yelling of the angels in heaven at Christ’s victory would have added fear in their hearts and torn them apart.  Their dark and treacherous way was now exposed to the harsh light of truth and Christ stood victorious over them and the victory was handed to us.  We don’t have to wait for the cavalry; it has already arrived!  So as we face those challenges of life; we can do so trusting that God has already delivered us.  God has already redeemed us and God has already saved us.  He arrived long before our need arrived.  His salvation for us is secure.

Father of grace, we long for the safety of your arms.  Help us to see that the victory is already won and it is ours.  Give us the courage to face life with the confidence of your mercy.  Guard those who feel the attacks of the devil the most and give them the certainty of your arrived mercy.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret