In 2010, at the age of ninety-four, George Vujnovich was awarded the bronze star for organizing what the New York Times called “one of the greatest rescue efforts of World War II.” Vujnovich, son of Serbian immigrants to the US, had joined the US Army. When word arrived that downed American airmen were being protected by rebels in Yugoslavia, Vujnovich 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 C-47 transport planes waiting at a landing strip they’d cut out of the woods. Vujnovich rescued 512 elated, joyful men.
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” (2 Samuel 22:17). 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” (v. 18).
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.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
Where do you feel hemmed in, with no escape from lies you believe or sin that binds you? How do you see Jesus coming to rescue you?
All-powerful God, I need to be rescued. If You don’t help me, I’m finished. I have no escape. So I’m turning to You. Please help me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Second Samuel 23:8–39 describes King David’s special forces of heroic soldiers who fought his battles and risked their lives for him. In addition, he had more than a million able-bodied men he could have drafted for battle (24:9). But as expressed by his song in chapter 22, it was God who deserved the credit for David’s rescues and reputation. Even as his nation’s most celebrated son, he was far from perfect. Although his last words make no mention of his mistakes (23:1–7), the biblical account does. In addition to his affair with Bathsheba (chs. 11–12), he insisted, in another thoughtless moment, on a census to assess his nation’s military strength (see 24:10). Even a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) could forget that his strength was always in his merciful God—never in the numbers.
Mart DeHaan
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