For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. - Colossians 1:13
You cannot have Jesus' rescue without accepting His rule. - Timothy Keller
Many precious souls throughout history have been born into countries or families in which they live in poverty, oppression, bondage and pain. Whether at war, forced to slavery or quietly held captive in obscurity, since the Garden of Eden souls have felt a lesser life and longed for something better, something more. There are always those under such conditions that are looking for a "better life", and with good reason.
Stories of hope have also been told for centuries, tales of deliverance where once upon a time one day gives way to happily ever after and though the in-between is full of loss, battle, dangerous journeys there is love ... always love.
Why do we need such stories, why do we tell such stories over and over again? Whether from ancient history or comic book heroes or films (again stories) from galaxies far, far away or tales of adventure where true love wins in the end we love stories.
Why?
Because it is written on our hearts, the happily ever after we long for and the freedom we hope for inspires many of us to get out there and endure another day. We feel deeply the injustice and unfairness in the world and often pray to see the revolution that leads to overcoming. As pleasant as we might try to make it or even ignore it, we are looking through prison doors and know that a hero from outside must come, and one day he will appear and we can be rescued, escorted out of falseness and join the great fellowship, the Trinity and their Great Redemptive Community where all souls matter, where hearts live in freedom and where Love reigns.
Oh, if it were only true. It is. And you and I are living in its chapters, right now, right in the middle of it. We know how it ends and the story with no end begins. We have read ahead and Revelations assures us, it won’t be long now.
The “happily ever after” is not yet, and we are many chapters in from the "once upon a time.” Until it comes, will you join the fight against the great villain and see evil defeated and all that are under their oppressive rule and cruel treatment of its prisoners, will you see them rescued and one day brought home?
In every great story, the characters choose. They come to a intersection, a crisis of belief, yes a crisis where they may ponder it far easier to stay where they are and yet they know there is a better life, a life of more and so they make the courageous choice. They often don’t know how it works or whats out there, they just know they can’t stay. They don’t know all the answers as to why but they know it must be better than what they are living.
They’re right.
I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, - Deuteronomy 30:19
For You have rescued my soul from death, Yes, and my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of life. - Psalm 56:13
Whoever finds his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. - Matthew 10:39
[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son [b]of His love, - Colossians 1:13 (AMP)
The Daily Prayer - Paragraph 4
Jesus, thank you for coming for me, for ransoming me with your own life.[15 ] I honor you as my Lord, I love you, worship you, trust you. I embrace[16] you as my redemption, and I receive all the work and triumph of your Crucifixion, whereby I am cleansed from all my sin through your shed blood,[17] my old nature is removed,[18] my heart is circumcised unto God,[19] and every claim being made against me is disarmed. [20] I take my place in your cross and death, whereby I have died with you to sin and to my flesh,[21] to the world,[22] and to the evil one.[23] I take up my cross and crucify my flesh with all its pride, unbelief, and idolatry. I put off the old man.[24] I now bring the cross of Christ between me and all people, all spirits, and all things. Holy Spirit, apply to me the fullness of the work of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ for me. I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.
An excerpt from The Daily Prayer Memory Verse Cards.
