WE ALL NEED a life-savior
I was ten years old when my dad, who was a logger, pointed out a big white house on a hill near McMinnville, Oregon. Dad said, “The man who owned that house was a logger who saved his son by pushing him out of the way when a log came rolling down the hill toward them. The boy was saved, but the dad was crushed and killed.”
Immediately, it made me think of how Jesus came to give His life in my place. Not everyone sees Jesus in that light. The Jewish leaders saw potential death when they looked at Jesus and His miracles. “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:48).
At that point, the religious leaders decided to save the nation and its citizens by murdering Jesus and quashing His “kingdom of God” revolution. Little did they know that Jesus already planned to save the nation—and the world—by giving His own life. Oddly enough, both parties agreed that the death of one person could bring life to many people.
Anyone who lives to old age will probably have had their life saved by someone once or twice. A doctor. A parent. A fireman. A policeman. A friend. I was hit by a car when I was seven years old. My mom saw it happen, screamed, and fainted. My dad ran out, scooped up my bloody body, and raced me to the hospital. He and the doctors saved me.
Sometimes there is only room for one savior in a given situation. The church leaders of Jesus’ day pictured themselves as the intellectually, socially superior saviors of their nation. I wonder. Do I ever pick myself as primary savior without realizing what I’ve done? “Move over Jesus. This is a bad situation and I need to fix it.”
There is only one primary Savior…Jesus, the Son of God. But He has also given me the high privilege of laying down my life for others in His name.
Life Question: Has anyone ever saved your life? Express your thankfulness and send a note or say a prayer.