“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13 NIV)
To be rescued: means to be saved from a dangerous or distressing situation, to be retrieved from being lost, to be recovered, salvaged, gotten back.
Mephibosheth - a rescue story
Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that King Saul and Jonathan had been killed in the battle of Mount Gilboa. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away she dropped him and he became crippled. (Sam. 4:4). For a number of years thereafter, Mephibosheth lived in abject poverty in the house of Machir, a former servant in Saul’s house.
Mephibosheth was brought before David
After King David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, Mephibosheth was brought before David, and when the king explained that it was his desire to exercise lovingkindness toward Mephibosheth by returning to him “all the fields of Saul” and by having him “eat bread at my table constantly,” Mephibosheth responded to the King with: “What is your servant, that you have turned your face to the dead dog such as I am?”
What a negative statement to make about himself!
Even though Mephibosheth was the grandson of a King, was being shown lovingkindness by King David, having the great wealth of “all the fields of Saul” returned to him, and will now “eat bread at King David’s table constantly,” he still referred to himself as a “dead dog.” Imagine that! He had so much to rejoice about yet resorted to negative self-talk.
We sometimes do the same!
Just like Mephibosheth we sometimes say negative things about ourselves. It shouldn’t be so! No matter what happens to us our confession should remain positive because of what God has done for us! And say, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37 NIV)
We have good reasons to be positive!
God has rescued us and brought us into His family!
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13 NIV)
He has bestowed extraordinary kindness and grace to us!
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a NIV)
We are “new” and should think of ourselves that way!
Therefore…
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 NASB)
