Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Lent 2019 | Page 4

Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Outside Help
Psalm 51
In June 2018, twelve youth soccer players and one of their coaches ventured into a cave in Thailand. As they
were exploring, a rainstorm flooded the exit, making escape impossible. For over two weeks they remained
trapped, with over two miles of flooded passageway between them and freedom. Imagine how they felt.
Stranded. Scared. Helpless.
When a rescue team finally made contact with the group, many thought this nightmare was over. But it wasn’t.
The passage remained dangerous and virtually impassable. As the rescuers continued to work, one man paid the
ultimate price. Saman Gunan was attempting to bring more oxygen to the trapped soccer team, and in the
process ran out of oxygen himself.
Saman Gunan was willing to volunteer his time – even his life – in order to rescue others. He did not have to
enter that cave. But it was only because of him and his fellow volunteers that any of those boys are alive.
King David was trapped in his sin. The most famous of David’s sins was the reason behind this penitential
Psalm – our reading for today. In a series of events that included adultery, lying, and finally murder, David had
cut himself off from God. Burdened by guilt, he considered rescue from spiritual death to be impossible.
God sent outside help. He sent the prophet Nathan to call King David to repent. David was directed to the same
God we have. In repentance, David made an appeal to God’s compassion and love. These are the characteristics
of God that caused Jesus to give his life in the place of sinners like David.
While we can easily say that Jesus did not have to come to earth, we can just as readily say that he did. Because
God is love and compassion, he was compelled to send Jesus as our substitute. Jesus is the perfect substitute. It is
only because of Jesus that David lived. On the basis of God’s love and compassion, David’s attitude shifted from
downtrodden guilt to joyful praise.
Those 13 boys were rescued from a cave in Thailand in July of 2018 and they all made a full recovery. Certain
death was avoided because they had outside help.
We, too, have been saved from sin and certain death. We have been cleansed by the forgiving love and
compassion of our God. This cleansing came when we were completely helpless. God sent outside help. Because
he did, we have been given life to sing God’s praises. This life continues from now to eternity. May we continue
to praise the God who saved us and forever rejoice in our God who helps us in his love and compassion.
PRAYER: I love your law and would walk well within it. Knowing I’ve not leaves me sighing. This is the
struggle I face every minute. Who can relieve me? I’m dying! Lord, I am ruined. I have left you; I need rescue.
Lord, I am pleading: show your favor, be my Savior. Amen.
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