From Drowning to Deliverance

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

Psalm 18:16

While on a mission trip to California, our team spent one afternoon at the beach—an afternoon I’ll never forget. My best friend and I were swimming, when I suddenly realized I was caught in the current and unable to swim toward shore. No amount of effort on my part helped. My friend noticed my dilemma and began screaming for help. Immediately, a tall, strong guy on the mission team swam to me and began throwing me shoreward. He rescued me! Years later, we saw him and his family. The first thing he said to my girls was, “I saved your mother’s life!” He did, and I’m thankful!

In Psalm 18, David felt like he was in deep waters with no way of escape. The cords of death were entangling him. The strength of his enemy was overwhelming and overpowering him. He needed someone to rescue him. (Psalm 18:4-5, 16-17) 

Are you there? Are you in the middle of an overwhelming circumstance, and you feel like you are drowning? Are you trapped in a sinful habit with no way of escape? Do you need a Rescuer?

In Psalm 18 David records an awe-inspiring picture of the LORD, our Rescuer. The heavens parted; the earth shook. With darkness as His covering and yet clothed in brightness, the LORD thundered from heaven. He reached down and took hold of David. He rescued David from his powerful enemy and brought him to a spacious place. Why? Because He delighted in David. (Psalm 18:7-19)

Believer, God has moved heaven and earth to rescue you! Because He delights in you, He reached down from heaven and lifted you out of the deep waters of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. He continues to lift you out of the deep waters of fear, anxiety, depression—from anything that tries to overwhelm or overpower you. 

Praise to you, Jesus, our Rescuer, who brings us to a spacious place of spiritual abundance!

Jan