In 2010 there was cave-in at a mine in Chile. Thirty-three miners were trapped a half-mile underground. At first it was feared they were dead, but when they were found to be alive, the Chilean government launched a massive rescue effort to save them from the darkness of the mine. The eyes of the world were on this unprecedented rescue attempt.

After being trapped in darkness for 69 days, the miners were rescued when the rescuers lowered a metal capsule named Phoenix 2. It was a long trip down and a long trip up, and there was only room for one man at a time, but all the miners were rescued. As television networks around the world broadcast the rescue live, people cheered and celebrated. As each miner emerged they were wearing shirts that said, “Thank you, Lord!”

The miners rescue came from above. Each miner had a choice. When the capsule arrived, they could choose to get in and let it carry them to the world above, or they could have said, “No thanks!” I can’t imagine why a single miner would reject the free offer of a rescue. And I can’t imagine why a person would say, “No thanks” to God’s incredible offer to rescue them. What’s more ridiculous, for those miners to say, “no” to a man-designed rescue vehicle to save them from physical death, or for people to say, “no” to the God-designed vehicle to rescue them from eternal spiritual death?

Can you imagine what it would be like to spend 69 days trapped a half-mile below the surface? That’s a picture of our lives before God rescued us. We were trapped in darkness and despair. Jesus descended all the way to planet earth to provide a way for us to escape the consequences of our sin. Like the Phoenix 2 escape capsule, Jesus doesn’t save groups; He saves individuals.

Like the miners, in order to be rescued, you have to have faith. You have to believe help is coming from above and that help will carry you to another world above. Then all you have to do is to put your faith into action.

Have you accepted His offer to be rescued? You can do that today by admitting you’ll never be good enough to rescue yourself and believing that God can and will save you.

“…the just shall live by faith.”      Galatians 3:11