{"id":148,"date":"2010-02-23T20:35:02","date_gmt":"2010-02-23T20:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ultimatejoy.wordpress.com\/?p=148"},"modified":"2010-02-23T20:35:02","modified_gmt":"2010-02-23T20:35:02","slug":"rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/?p=148","title":{"rendered":"Rescue"},"content":{"rendered":"

It started as a quick walk across a crowded parking lot and ended in deep theological thought.<\/p>\n

I glanced at a metallic sticker on a white van.\u00a0 Like so many touting breast cancer awareness or support for our troops, at first it didn\u2019t seem out of place and I didn\u2019t pay it much attention.\u00a0 But the shape made it stand out.\u00a0 It was a paw print and getting closer I could see a simple question etched on it.\u00a0 \u201cWho rescued who?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow funny,\u201d I thought.\u00a0 Then a split second later, my thought was, \u201cHow true!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Rascal, my faithful canine companion, was a rescued dog.\u00a0 At first, I wasn\u2019t sure I even wanted her in our home.\u00a0 She was big, a little skittish around new owners and at 80 pounds, certainly not the lap dogs I was used to during my childhood.<\/p>\n

But she was gentle, kind, loving and very loyal.\u00a0 And she grew on me.\u00a0 When my beloved Diamond cat passed away, Rascal sensed my unhappiness.\u00a0 Soon her attention and devotion to me made all the misgivings about owning her melt away and we became inseparable.\u00a0 After her arthritis prevented her from climbing the stairs to my bedroom, she and I fashioned our own little \u2018girl cave\u2019 in the living room.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/a>When I ask, \u201cWho rescued who?\u201d it isn\u2019t as simple as saying that I saved Rascal from the needle.\u00a0 She gave me endless joy and beautiful companionship for many years; in many ways, saving me from loneliness and sadness.<\/p>\n

But once this heartfelt memory of my beloved dog ended, the question begged to be asked about my relationship to God. \u00a0He rescued me from my sins by His death on the cross.\u00a0 But, how often, do I treat my relationship with Him like He somehow needs my help?\u00a0 In this era of instant gratification, I\u2019m like so many others who want God to give them the answer to their prayers now<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 And when I don\u2019t receive the answer that I want, I shake my fist at God and wonder why He is so mean.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How many times do I pray to Him asking His guidance on a decision\u2026to quit my job, to volunteer for a new ministry, who to ask to church on Sunday?\u00a0 How many times do I treat Him with the respect and honor that He deserves?\u00a0 How many times is it evident, like it was with Rascal and me, that Rascal loved me very deeply and understood that I was her master?\u00a0 How many times do I want to do life His way instead of my way?<\/p>\n

Sadly, I\u2019d have to answer \u201cNot very many.\u201d\u00a0 That’s because\u00a0 I make up a god in my head that is a cross between a kindly grandfather and Santa Claus…someone not to be feared and who grants wishes on a consistent basis.\u00a0\u00a0I belittle His power and sovereignty. Insisting on doing things my way.\u00a0\u00a0I cheapen our relationship in the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is only one answer to the question of who rescued who when it pertains to my relationship with God.\u00a0 And that\u2019s\u2026He rescued me.\u00a0 He loved me enough to hang on a cross and die for my sins.\u00a0 My response should be utter devotion to glorifying Him with every minute of my life.<\/p>\n

So, I ask you \u2013 in reference to your relationship God \u2013 who rescued who?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It started as a quick walk across a crowded parking lot and ended in deep theological thought. I glanced at a metallic sticker on a white van.\u00a0 Like so many touting breast cancer awareness or support for our troops, at first it didn\u2019t seem out of place and I didn\u2019t pay it much attention.\u00a0 But […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[9,48,25,27,29],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myrawells.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}