Review: RescuYOUed Study

Have you ever had to be rescued—literally and physically?

I have. It was no fun at all.

Years ago, I went to the Indian Canyons near Palm Springs, CA, with a friend. We’d planned to spend the day there hiking and playing in its streams and lakes. We clambered up sloping rock walls to jump through four waterfalls and their corresponding pools of water.

What we didn’t know was that it had snowed heavily the month before, and they were still dealing with the overflowing runoff weeks later when we went in May.

My friend was tall, and a good swimmer. He easily jumped out of the second pool and down the second waterfall. I slid into the second pool and got trapped.

It was about 10 feet wide with smooth rock walls and no branches overhanging it. The extra runoff had swelled the feeding streams and churned the water in that small pool. Though my legs were the strongest part of my body, I couldn’t push hard enough against the opposite wall to propel myself to the waterfall side. The spinning water blocked my push.

I swirled around like a pencil in a whirlpool, trying to yell and gulping water instead.

I thrust my arm up, hoping someone would notice. This is how I’m going to die I’m going to drown I remember thinking as I went down the first time. Did anybody notice me yet?

How long could I hold my breath? I swooshed around that water hole with no way of stopping myself. With no idea if anybody had seen my flailing arm, I went down the second time. The water was so powerful I almost lost my swimsuit top.

It was surreal when I saw a hairy arm plunge underneath the water and brace itself against my waist.

The Spirit of God reminded me that people often drown trying to clutch their rescuer, so I let my body go limp.

I never learned his name; I just knew he was much younger than me with short hair and some tattoos. Whoever he was, he was very strong.

He jumped over that second waterfall hauling me on his arm like a wet towel. He carried me just above the water line of the third pool—which, thankfully, was shallow—and poured me out on a large, flattened area of rock. My rescuer checked to make sure I was breathing, then left when my friend showed up.

My buddy shared what had happened. He had to go all the way to the top rock and jump through that first waterfall to get to me. The stranger climbed right to the level where I was and jumped directly into my whirling mess.

I hoped I gasped “thank you” before that young man left. Many blessings were prayed over my anonymous angel, my rescuer, after that incident.

I didn’t know the name of my human rescuer, but I know the name of my eternal rescuer: Jesus.

I needed to be rescued from my sin and default destination to hell, and He did it. He was the One Who died to save my sorry soul. He was the only One Who could jump right into my messy life and deliver me.

The eternal God revealed Himself to finite mortals using many names. This newest online Bible study by Sarah Koontz of Living by Design Ministries is based on many of the names of our heavenly rescuer.

Weren’t we all born in sin? Didn’t we all deserve to go to hell when Jesus came along? Hallelujah, He joyfully volunteered to die for our sins so that we could join Him in His forever house!

What an unfair exchange. Yet it was one He willingly did for us. What a loving, fabulous Rescuer He was and is!

Well, guess what? You do know that He’s not simply the Hero to save the day (and our butts) from eternal condemnation… riiight?

Just like we have several roles and names (mine include cousin, niece, sister, church member, blogger, writer, social media content producer, roommate, friend, ministry associate, customer, sistah girlfriend, and missionary), the eternal God has several roles and names. He revealed them to us so that we could learn a few of the facets of His manifold character.

Sarah explores several of these names to encourage us to learn more about this amazing God and the many ways He rescues us. She named this newest FREE online Bible study RescYOUed.

I’ve been reading the Bible for over 41 years, and I learned a new name for God on Day eleven! I was like “Whaaat?! That’s a name, and that’s one of His names?!”

Ladies, this is a great study. I suggest signing up for it before you forget.

You know how you really want to go to an event, and then you forget until an hour after it started and you’re like, “Oh no! I forgot!” I hate it when I do that. Do it now!

Invite your friends to sign up for this study, too. It’s a wonderful way to walk through Easter with your godly girlfriend squad. We all need to learn more of the ways our loving Lord rescues us after He saved us from hell.

Gentlemen, if you know a Christian female over the age of, say, twelve, tell them about this study. Forward this post to them and share the link. They’ll appreciate your observant attitude. They may even sign up!

RescYOUed starts Monday, April 1, and goes for 30 days using a five-day-on, two-day-off format. 

Each study arrives in your inbox every day, only takes about 10–15 minutes to complete, and involves no homework. An audio version is available for those of us who like to learn while we drive. There are lots of free digital gifts from LBD’s awesome ministry partners. 

To learn more, click here: https://livingbydesign.org/rescyoued/ and I’ll see you in our Facebook group April 1!

 

A note from the author: I am raising support for long-term missions for travel expenses only.

God called me a really long time ago, and I’m finally going to make it! To read my story and learn how you can participate, click here: https://www.gofundme.com/hrp2jy-send-me-to-zimbabwe