Daily Lectionary: Judges 3:7-31, Acts 13:42-52

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A drowning person can’t save himself. He is beyond reason and ability; panic takes over and even the lifeguard must be careful to not be dragged down in an attempt to save him.

Thankfully, Jesus isn’t in danger of drowning when He saves us. He’s already been through death and come back to life, securing our eternal life and salvation. That’s a hard thing to believe, though. As is what we confess in this article of the Creed: ‘I believe that I cannot believe.’ We have to say that, though. We must be honest with ourselves that we cannot believe without being brought to that faith by the one who authors it. 

Like the drowning person who must finally give up and fall into the arms of the lifeguard who  pulls him from certain death, we can only fall into the arms of the One who has spoken salvation and faith into our ears and hearts, trusting that His work does what He says it does.

Look who is running the verbs in that explanation above: the Holy Spirit is doing all the action. All we do is confess that we can’t. But look just how much the Holy Spirit is doing. He doesn’t just throw you a life ring and say “Hang on!” No, the Holy Spirit calls you to faith by the living Gospel of Jesus, enlightens you—fills you with saving knowledge through Word and Sacrament, and sustains you in that faith with those same gifts.

Almighty God has reached into this tumultuous sea called life and grabbed you from the chaotic waves. He has pulled you to safety, set you on dry ground, and comforted and cared for you. Thanks be to God that none of this was up to you, because you could never do it alone!

Instead, Father, Son, and Spirit all worked together to bring you to safety; eternal safety. A safety and peace that can only be assured by the all-powerful working of the One True God who, now that He has you in his hands, will never let go. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.