July 22 – Hope that He Will Always Be There

July 22 – Hope that He Will Always Be There

He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. (2 Corinthians 1:10-11a)

You know the story of the boy who cried wolf.  After setting up his rescuers so many times with a fake cry for help, when he really needed it, they ignored him.  This story is a great lesson about lying, however … it doesn’t give a child great confidence in the rescuers who should be there no matter what.

Another childhood warning comes from placing yourself in danger.  “Don’t do that again” comes with an implied warning that if you do, it’s on you to get yourself out of it.

I travel back and forth across the bridge over the river that goes past our property and think about the number of times that Dad warned us about going near trees that had fallen into the river.  It was dangerous because of the movement of the current and very difficult to get yourself out of the danger.  So many trees have fallen into the river that I am reminded about that danger quite often.  When I was young I spent a lot of time conjuring up the best way to get myself out of a bad situation in the river because if I was there, I knew Dad had told me over and over to avoid it and I’d screwed up.

Looking back, I know that Dad was trying to keep me safe, but I also know that no matter how many times he had warned me of the danger so I would avoid it, he would have moved as quickly as possible to rescue me, no matter the circumstance.  And if I managed to find myself in that situation a second time, he would move just as quickly.  And if I managed to find myself in that situation a third, fourth or even fifth time, his initial response would still be the same (though there would probably be some type of punishment once I was safe, I’m clear on that).

We can’t push God to a point that He will not rescue us.  He will never abandon us, He will never ignore our cries for help.  This is the steadfast, everlasting God in whom we place our hope.  Even moreso than my father, He will respond to me over and over and over again.