Do right! Always do right. Sometimes that means helping others to make things right.”
–B.N. Rundell (Naches Trail)
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
–Luke 19:10 (NKJV)
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Jeremiah tells us, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (33:3, NKJV) Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV) The call is, “come to Me!” Then know that help is available. There is so much that man can do in the physical and intellectual realm that often they do not realize that there is a higher Power who they can come to. In the arena of the spiritual, though, it must all come through Jesus.
Man can endure much. I have read many accounts of POWs and what they had to endure, but even in those trying circumstances most would say that it was hope and faith in God and in our country that aided them and gave them strength. When the early Christians marched into the Colosseum they could do so only in the strength of Christ. When man tries to be good in his own self their ending is frustration and no matter what, man can never be good enough. Paul reminds us of this, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:19, NKJV) Then he shows his frustration–“O wretched man that I am!…”(Romans 7:24, NKJV)
I came across a little story that is told of a highly successful businessman who was once asked by a reporter if he considered himself a self-made man. “Yes,” he replied. Then after a thoughtful moment he added, “But if I had it to do over again, I would call in some help.” Humorous, yes. Thoughtful, yes. Truthful, a resounding, yes. A self-made man in the eyes of the world may be on their way to Perdition. There will be no self-made men in heaven in regard to their spiritual well-being. Yes, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but we do not save ourselves. Yes, we are to do good works, but those good works do not save us, we do them because we are saved.
In the midst of turmoil, where is our help? When terror strikes, a bullet seeks a victim, a person overdoses, a marriage fails–where is our help? In this lostness of time in which we live we cry–“O wretched man that I am!” Now, to the good part. When we cry out there is a loving Savior there, with hands outstretched ready to help. To finish up Paul’s frustration, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24, NKJV) Go ahead answer…Jesus! Where does my help come from? Jesus! Who can I turn to when there is no human solution? Jesus! When I need a Savior, when I need a friend, who is there for me? Jesus! He is the God who is there!