Tuesday June 21, 2011

Read 2 Peter 2:4-9;   2 Timothy 4:18

Poor Ringo the duck! Grubbing for food on the bottom of Grenadier Pond, in Toronto’s High Park, the duck got a pull-ring from a beverage can clamped around her beak. As a result the duck could not feed properly and faced starvation when the pond froze over. Concerned people saw her plight, and set in motion various attempts to capture the bird and remove the ring. First, a cannon which fires a large net was set up on the shores of the pond. But no success! Then a skindiver tried to scare Ringo out from the bull-rushes. Again, no success! The Toronto Humane Society tried to allure Ringo with bread and corn, but that only drew seagulls from miles around. Finally, Canada’s champion duck caller was called in, but although he got the attention of nearly every duck in the pond, Ringo did not respond.  All for the sake of a duck! Ringo simply did not understand that all these attempts were not designed to frighten her, but to free her from her plight.

How often when we look in the mirror do we see Ringo the duck? We find ourselves in some perilous or uncomfortable situation and rather than let God help us or rescue us we fail to respond. We run the other way. We try our own plans and push God’s plans aside.

Through the history of the Bible we see that God has rescued many many people from some pretty hair raising situations. Noah would have drowned in the deluge had it not been for the Lord’s rescue. Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in Sodom/Gomorrah and was tormented by the unrighteousness of the towns. Had it not been for the Lord’s rescue, he too would have perished in the firestorm that destroyed the city and its lawless inhabitants.  The conclusion? God knows how to rescue godly men from trials.

Are you going through a tough trial at present? Are you overwhelmed with temptation? Is your life spiralling downwards at an ever increasing rate? Do you feel lost and helpless in the murky waters of life? Be assured and be comforted. God knows how to rescue you. God knows what you need. God is walking with you and will bring you safely into his heavenly kingdom.

Prayer:-

V Pray for those in other countries that are persecuted daily for their faith.

V Pray that more and more people have access to the Bible in their native language.

V Praise God that we have His redemption and access to Bibles and Biblical Reading Notes, along with the have the freedom in this country to practice and live out our faith.

V Pray that people take advantage of this freedom and look for more ways to reach out to non-believers.