Rescued from Powerful Enemies

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading, titled Rescued from Powerful Enemies, was written by Wynn Collier. In 2010, at the age of 94, George Voinovich was awarded the Bronze Star for organizing what the New York Times called one of the greatest rescue efforts of World War II. Voinovich, son of Serbian immigrants to the U.S., had joined the U.S. Army. When word arrived that downed American airmen were being protected by rebels in Yugoslavia, Voinovich returned to his family's homeland, parachuting into the forest to locate the pilots.

Dividing the soldiers into small groups, he taught them how to blend in with the Serbs, wearing Serbian clothes and eating Serbian food. Then, over months, he walked each small group out one at a time to see 47 transport planes, waiting at a landing strip they'd cut out of the woods. Voinovich rescued 512 elated, joyful men. In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David described the elation of being rescued by God from enemies who'd hemmed him in with no escape. God reached down from on high and took hold of me, David said. He drew me out of deep waters. King Saul, enraged with jealousy, hounded David, ruthlessly seeking blood.

But God had other plans. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, David recounted, from my foes who were too strong for me. God rescued David from Saul. He rescued Israel from Egypt. And in Jesus, God came to rescue all of us. Jesus rescues us from sin, evil, and death. He's greater than every powerful enemy.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Samuel chapter 22 verses 17 through 20. He reached down from on high and took hold of me. He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place.

He rescued me because He delighted in me. Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for coming to our rescue when we were trapped in our sin and all hope was lost. Thank you for Jesus and the gift of salvation and the indwelling of your Spirit to put us back in right standing with you and for leading us down the path of life. Give us the courage to speak to others who need you and to help us share your gift of love and restoration with them. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Stephen and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.