Oh God, rescue me!
Standing outside a hospital building and celebrating the woman inside turned out to be a moment to remember! Several female friends, their children, along with a television crew had all come to wave from the parking lot as our beloved girlfriend was isolated inside to protect her from any germs.
And there my Robert was, too—in his wheelchair, rocking it to the cheering of the celebratory crowd and delighting himself in the multitude of colorful balloons. I am sure he thought that all the excitement was for him! LOL!
However, I am sure the woman inside that hospital room was saying, “Oh God, rescue me!” Knowing her deep faith, I am also sure she was, at the same time, secure in her knowledge that God could rescue her, even if it would be a while later.
Don’t we all cry out for the “rescue”? Robert didn’t know anything about the rescue. He only knew how to be in the moment. He only knew that there was some kind of party happening in the moment—in that parking lot—in that crowd of loving faces he recognized from other celebrations. He wasn’t looking for anyone to rescue him. He was living his life to the very fullest with toothy grins for all to see. He didn’t need to be anywhere else.
I wonder why I often desire to be rescued instead of sitting right where I am to feel all the “feels.” My first thought is seldom, “Oh God, leave me right here in this pain and weariness!” I find myself daydreaming about how to get out of the “right now” life and jump into the next chapter before the full experience of those moments are felt.
I did that a lot as our kids were growing up. Because we were never sure how long Robert would be with us, I was always planning for the next chapter with him securely in our arms, or without him…in His arms. How could I make the transition for our family easier through the years? How would life look like in one year or three years or 10 years into the future? Would Robert ever silently cry, “Oh God, rescue me!”? Would I long to be rescued from the heaviness of not knowing what the future would look like even in the most joyful times?
In that very sudden moment when he passed away in my arms, all those questions were meaningless. I will never know if Robert had experienced enough pain and was ready to find freedom. I only know that, as the days grew closer, his six-foot, 150-pound body had very little strength, and he seemed ready to go.
Was there a secret conversation that took place I could not hear? I still have many thoughts about that. Did Robert cry out in those strange seizure-filled last days? I don’t know. But, if he did cry out to God in his own way to be rescued, I believe God granted love and grace in that moment. Robert’s body had had enough.
Oh God, rescue _____________ ! Who says these words in your world? Is it you or a loved one? Are they about you or about someone else? I believe God always gives love and grace enough for the moment. I pray that you will find this to be true in your own life.
May God grant you enough love and grace today and in the future for you to feel His rescuing arms.
Listening Library: Rescue (Lauren Daigle)
“In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!” (Psalm 71:2 ESV)
Rescue
You are not hidden There's never been a moment You were forgotten You are not hopeless Though you have been broken Your innocence stolen
I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS, your SOS
I will send out an army to find you In the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you
There is no distance That cannot be covered Over and over You're not defenseless I'll be your shelter I'll be your armor
I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS, your SOS
I will send out an army to find you
In the middle of the darkest night
It's true, I will rescue you
I will never stop marching to reach you In the middle of the hardest fight It's true, I will rescue you
I hear the whisper underneath your breath I hear you whisper, you have nothing left
I will send out an army to find you In the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you
I will never stop marching to reach you In the middle of the hardest fight It's true, I will rescue you
Oh, I will rescue you
Songwriters: Jason David Ingram / Lauren Daigle / Paul Brendon Mabury
Rescue lyrics © Centricsongs, See You At The Pub
This is so true! Losing our daughter’s identical twin, Harper, was so hard and I think about her daily. I’ll never know the ‘why’ behind her passing, but what a comfort to know she is in His arms. Many days I feel like I need to be rescued from the pain and grief, but hold tight to the promise that I’ll be with her again 💕