The world watched, with their breath held, as the miners were rescued from the depths in Chile this week. The cameras rolled as each one came up, attentive to their words. We all celebrated as they emerged, until all were safely returned to the surface. We all rejoiced in their rescue.
All the miners were eager to be rescued. I’m certain the waiting process was very nerve-wracking on them, especially as there number underground became fewer and fewer.
Yet can you imagine if one would have said “No, I do not want to be rescued?” No one would have believed it. No one in their right mind would even utter such a thought. Who would refuse rescue from certain, lonely death?
Yet the reality is that every day, people do exactly that.
You see, in a spiritual sense, we all are born living in a place as deep and dark as that mine was. Just as the miners were on their own, we have no hope, in and of our own efforts, of getting out. We are trapped. We are separated from God, by our sin.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
All men are sinners. None of us have managed to get through life without sin. And sin keeps us separate from God- in the mine, so to speak. And worse, our sin condemns us to an eternity apart from God, in hell- far worse than simply being trapped in a mine.
Some may ask “Why can’t we just all go into heaven?” Well, it’s sin that keeps us out. If God were to allow sin in to heaven, it would not be heaven- it would be less than perfect.
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Romans 21:27
But there is good news- God loves us so much He has provided a way of rescue from our separation, from the depths of the mine we are born in. And that way is through faith in Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
God provided a means of rescue, a way out, through His mercy. We are given the offer of eternal life with Him in heaven, rescue from the certainty of an eternity in hell, through His Son, Jesus. And it’s not something we work for by our acts. No more than those miners could have dug their own way out. Nothing we can do will make us worthy of rescue. We are offered rescue solely through God’s love and compassion. Just as those miners were offered rescue simply through compassion, and not by their worthiness to be rescued, so are we offered rescue through Christ.
And how do we do that?
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
When we turn from our life of sin, confessing our sins to the Lord, making Jesus the Lord of our life, and accepting His forgiveness, we have the promise of eternal life!
In fact, Jesus promises that when we believe in Him, He’s already preparing a place for us, a place with Him in eternity in heaven.
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3
Dear friends, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as the Savior of your life, I urge you to seek God’s mercy, and ask to be forgiven of your sins. I have some more information on this page for you to read, and would love for you to contact me if you have questions. Or, seek out a local, Bible-believing church, and let them know you want to know about asking Jesus to be your Savior.
Just as none of those miners would have contemplated turning down their rescue, none of us should turn down our offer of rescue from the certainty of hell. For those who have not yet believed in Jesus, I urge you to accept this rescue. And for those who have accepted Christ as your Savior, first, I rejoice with you. Second, let the story of the Chilean miners serve as an example of how our calling here in this life is to share with others the rescue we were given. Just as the mine rescuers showed those in peril the way to salvation from the depths, we too must do the work Christ called us to do, preaching the gospel to the whole world.