He is the Savior!

"He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand."
Psalm 40:2

Quite often when I think of the unsaved and myself prior to God saving me, I mentally picture someone in a mud pit literally caked so heavily with mud that there is no way she can free herself. So she just sits there, possibly struggling against this miry prison, possibly enjoying it at times as pigs do. I visualize things like this as I realize we cannot save ourselves. Our attempts to clean ourselves while in the mud pit are futile -- amusing, in fact! Logic dictates that first we must be out of the mud in order to be clean!

The last day or so I have been burdened about a few people very dear to my life. I weep over lifestyle choices they have made. Though they were brought up to honor the Lord, now they have allowed their minds to be corrupted by worldly influences. They are wallowing in this mud pit likely oblivious to their conditions.

And that breaks my heart.

It always saddens me when I think along these lines.

So this morning I was reading through Isaiah as I sat on the porch in my rocking chair. I read a while and then got to thinking of these precious people and was crying out to God for their souls. As I mentally pictured them in this dirty pit and in no way able or even realizing they needed rescuing, I reminded the Lord that I could not save them. Although I might be standing just outside the pit wishing I could help, I am not anyone's savior.

I reminded the Lord that this is not about anyone deserving anything from Him, but simply because of Who HE is. He is the Savior. He's the only one who can reach into that pit, lift them out, cleanse them and set their feet on the Rock.

After my prayer time, I resumed my reading in Isaiah and was encouraged a short time later by this verse. Mainly because it was so much like the conversation I'd just had with my Lord. It reads:

"I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior."
Isa.43:11

Exactly!

I am eager to see how the Savior saves! I want to see these people out of the miry pit, washed clean and serving the Lord with gladness.

I look forward to that day, trusting that God is mighty to save (Zeph. 3:17), not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9) and whatever we ask according to His will, He will do it (John 14:13).