“I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.” (Isaiah 43:11, ESV)
Throughout your lifetime, God will save you countless times. HE might send an angel to alter your steps. HIS Spirit may whisper for you to change your plans. God may set a spiritual hedge to protect you in a crucial moment. God’s forgiveness may change your perspective or uplift your attitude. In so many, many ways, God has and will continue to save your mind and heart and soul from something unforeseen. In little and big ways, God is bringing salvation to your life.
In the scripture for today, God was speaking to the prophet Isaiah. God was declaring HIS work among the chosen people. God was defining HIS relationship to the faithful. God told Isaiah and the people of Israel, “I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11). There were some in Israel at the time of Isaiah who believed that other gods had the powers to save and protect. Isaiah 43:11 challenges that belief. Human-generated gods cannot hold a candle to the real God. “There is no savior” like God Almighty.
When Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods threatened the Israelites in Egypt, God sent Ten plagues and overthrew Pharaoh’s plans. When hunger and thirst in the wilderness threatened to annihilate the Israelites in the wilderness, God sent manna and birds to eat (Exodus 16). Waters burst forth from rocks to satisfy their thirst (Exodus 17 and Numbers 20)! When the Assyrians threatened the city of Jerusalem, the people prayed for salvation. The next day, 185,000 soldiers of the army were found dead, and Jerusalem was spared (2 Kings 19:35). When Peter was imprisoned and threatened with death, an angel sent by God freed him from his chains and walked him right out the front door (Acts 12)! When Paul’s ship was sinking at sea in a terrible storm, God saved every person on the ship (Acts 27:37ff). Over and over and over, God saved faithful people from certain death or destruction or war or famine. As the scripture for today asserts, “there is no savior” like our God in Christ.
It was not just in biblical times that God saved the faithful. Many examples are found in the pages of history. In 1799, one of Napoleon’s generals attacked the Austrian city of Feldkirch. Something like 18,000 veteran soldiers from France should have easily destroyed the town and wiped out the 5,000 soldiers defending it. However, when the town rang bells on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the French army feared the bells signified the coming of Austrian support. The French army left the area and Feldkirch was saved from annihilation due to the ringing of the Easter morning bells. Some see this historical occurrence as a tactical blunder by Napoleonic armies. Many others saw it as God’s saving grace, alive and active in history.
In your own life, were there times you felt God’s intervention? Did a prayer alter your perspective? I wonder how many times God intervened, and you had no idea God was saving you from harm.
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. He and his family spent much time in prayer, sharing the gospel, and helping the people in various ways. One night, hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Paton family and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came, they were amazed to see their attackers leave.
A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present-but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. A modern-day account of angels protecting believers? We can't say for sure, but the Bible teaches that angels minister to believers today just as they did with Jesus and saints of the past. Paton had no idea during that fearful night how God had saved him and his family with holy angels.
Sometimes, you can look back on your life and see evidence of God’s action or guidance. I bet if you look close enough with Spirit-filled eyes that you will see signs of God’s saving grace.
Truly, what God spoke in the days of Isaiah is still true of God today. There is no savior to rival God Almighty. And, that same Lord is the one who holds your life in HIS hands. His Spirit speaks to you. HIS angels watch over you.
In the scripture for today, God was speaking to the prophet Isaiah. God was declaring HIS work among the chosen people. God was defining HIS relationship to the faithful. God told Isaiah and the people of Israel, “I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11). There were some in Israel at the time of Isaiah who believed that other gods had the powers to save and protect. Isaiah 43:11 challenges that belief. Human-generated gods cannot hold a candle to the real God. “There is no savior” like God Almighty.
When Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods threatened the Israelites in Egypt, God sent Ten plagues and overthrew Pharaoh’s plans. When hunger and thirst in the wilderness threatened to annihilate the Israelites in the wilderness, God sent manna and birds to eat (Exodus 16). Waters burst forth from rocks to satisfy their thirst (Exodus 17 and Numbers 20)! When the Assyrians threatened the city of Jerusalem, the people prayed for salvation. The next day, 185,000 soldiers of the army were found dead, and Jerusalem was spared (2 Kings 19:35). When Peter was imprisoned and threatened with death, an angel sent by God freed him from his chains and walked him right out the front door (Acts 12)! When Paul’s ship was sinking at sea in a terrible storm, God saved every person on the ship (Acts 27:37ff). Over and over and over, God saved faithful people from certain death or destruction or war or famine. As the scripture for today asserts, “there is no savior” like our God in Christ.
It was not just in biblical times that God saved the faithful. Many examples are found in the pages of history. In 1799, one of Napoleon’s generals attacked the Austrian city of Feldkirch. Something like 18,000 veteran soldiers from France should have easily destroyed the town and wiped out the 5,000 soldiers defending it. However, when the town rang bells on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the French army feared the bells signified the coming of Austrian support. The French army left the area and Feldkirch was saved from annihilation due to the ringing of the Easter morning bells. Some see this historical occurrence as a tactical blunder by Napoleonic armies. Many others saw it as God’s saving grace, alive and active in history.
In your own life, were there times you felt God’s intervention? Did a prayer alter your perspective? I wonder how many times God intervened, and you had no idea God was saving you from harm.
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. He and his family spent much time in prayer, sharing the gospel, and helping the people in various ways. One night, hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Paton family and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came, they were amazed to see their attackers leave.
A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present-but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. A modern-day account of angels protecting believers? We can't say for sure, but the Bible teaches that angels minister to believers today just as they did with Jesus and saints of the past. Paton had no idea during that fearful night how God had saved him and his family with holy angels.
Sometimes, you can look back on your life and see evidence of God’s action or guidance. I bet if you look close enough with Spirit-filled eyes that you will see signs of God’s saving grace.
Truly, what God spoke in the days of Isaiah is still true of God today. There is no savior to rival God Almighty. And, that same Lord is the one who holds your life in HIS hands. His Spirit speaks to you. HIS angels watch over you.