Rescue.
One word
that means something completely different to every person who reads it. To the
45 million people trapped in slavery right now the word rescue is likely as far
off in their minds as the words lottery winner are in mine. Wining millions
would be nice, but it’s not the reality that I live in, so why even hope for it.
Many people around the world have no choice in their lives. Born a slave, live
a slave, and die a slave. In my world I can make choices, I can choose to
pursue an education and can joyfully spend time with friends and family.
Currently I
am working for a nonprofit called International Justice Mission (IJM). They
choose to speak up for those trapped in slavery all over the world and bring
rescue into the lives of unsuspecting men, women, and children. It is amazing to hear all of the beautiful
stories that IJM shares about the restoration process that begins with a rescue.
But the rescue process is not as cut and dry as some might think. The local law
enforcement needs to take time to fully analyze the situation. They need to
know exactly when and where to organize the rescue. The operation also needs to
be kept quiet. If the traffickers catch wind of a plan, they could pick up and
move locations taking the lives of innocent people to a new dark location. A
rescue takes so much dedication and determination but the reward is freedom.
Physical, mental, and emotional freedom. The men, women and children who are
saved in these operations usually have no idea that it is coming. They are just
living in this world of darkness some are hoping for rescue, others have given
up the dream of ever being free. Then one day…everything changes. Freedom is no
longer a nice idea, but a reality.
I think
sometimes we get so wrapped up in thinking that because we are not physically
restrained like many around the world that we don’t need rescue. Yet many of us
are stuck in our own slavery. We are stuck in fear, pride, bad relationships,
shame and hopelessness.
Colossians 1: 13-14 says
“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of
darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our
freedom and forgave our sins.” NLT
Jesus is the
ultimate rescue operation. He already did the intel gathering, the planning,
and he knew the perfect time to come and set the world free from darkness. God
did not just come to set us free physically, but to free us from the mental
slavery that we all experience. I wonder if God is like our rescue operations
team. He knows we are not living in freedom, even if we think nothing will ever
change, he knows the rescue is just around the corner. He is patiently
reminding us that he is with us in the darkness, and that he will lead us into
the light.
God never
wants us to feel alone, because he has already sent in the rescue team. Once we
accept that we have been rescued it means we no longer have to live in fear, instead we can rejoice in freedom.
