While we were in Whitby last weekend, we went to the Lifeboat Museum and read so many stories of the amazing rescues carried out by the RNLI on that coast. It was truly inspiring. The general field of search and rescue includes many speciality sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations. These include Mountain rescue; ground search and rescue, including the use of search and rescue dogs; urban search and rescue in cities; combat search and rescue on the battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.

Last year the world witnessed one of the great rescue plans when 33 Chilean miners, trapped down a mine, were successfully brought to safety. Many of us watched on the news or online as each man had to be rescued individually in a rescue plan that involved technology and international aid, not to mention lots of prayer. It was a truly inspiring moment.

Matt Redman’s song ‘Where Would We Be?’ arose from that rescue, but points to a greater rescue:
“You came to search and rescue
In love, the Father sent You
Broke through the darkest night
You came to seek and save us
You came to liberate us
Jesus, You heard our cry
Jesus, You heard our cry”

As we studied in Romans 9, the truth is that without God’s rescue plan, we would all still be lost:
“Where would we be without Your love?
We’d still be lost in darkness
Where would we be without Your cross?
You made a way to save us
Oh, Your love, oh, Your love.”

Moreoever, our studies in Romans have pointed out inexorably that there was nothing we could do to save ourselves; we desperately needed rescue from a God who would take the initiative:
“We couldn’t escape the sin and the shame
That kept us bound
We couldn’t break through, we couldn’t reach You
So You reached down”

The next time we feel we are struggling to accept God’s sovereignty, we need to focus on our desperate plight without God and respond with grateful thanks to the fact that His plan of salvation was such a thorough and comprehensive search and rescue plan! “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). Hallelujah!

http://www.myspace.com/mattredmanmusic/videos/story-behind-the-song-where-would-we-be/108021704