Saved out of it

Jeremiah spoke of a time when the people of God would be living in a state of great anxiety. The men would be walking around clutching their stomachs like women experiencing excruciating labour pains. “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. It is the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it,” (Jeremiah 30: 4-7). Jacob experienced a particular period of intense difficulty and trial because of the decisions he had made. Jacob plotted with his mother to trick his brother Esau out of his inheritance. Jacob had to run for his life and stay with his uncle for several years. Eventually, when the Lord told Jacob to return home, Jacob believed that he was travelling to face the dreadful consequences of his actions. Esau was coming towards him with an army.  Jacob was in deep trouble (Genesis 27; 30-32). They say that troubles rarely come singly. The people of God may face whole armies of troubles. Sometimes, we may be walking around in agonising pain because of what we have done and, consequently, what we are facing. When Joshua the high priest stood before the Lord, the enemy was there hurling accusations at him. As was the case for Jacob, some of the accusations may have been true and therefore justified. However, the Lord had a sharp response for the accuser. “The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan. The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. Is this not a brand plucked from the fire,” (Zechariah 3: 1-3). The Lord’s words offer hope to kingdom citizens, who find themselves in various fires. Sometimes, the fire may be of our own making. Sometimes the fire may be created by situations outside of our control. Sometimes, people may add fuel to the fires to make life unbearably difficult for us. Irrespective of the source of the fire, the word of hope for every believer is that the Lord who chose you is able to pluck you out of your fire. God told His people through the words of Jeremiah that He would save them out of their trouble. Obviously, we want God to stop bad things happening to us in the first place. However, God says He will save us not from it, but out of it. The Lord knows who are His (2 Timothy 2: 19). Moreover, He knows how to deliver them.