Imagine right now a fire truck. It’s big. It’s red. And it’s sparkling clean. The chrome trim glimmers. The wheels are shiny black. The firefighters obviously take pride in their work.
Why do they clean the truck? So that it can sit in the bay at the fire station, and look pretty? Nope. It’s not a piece of art. The purpose of the fire truck is to leave the bay, hustle through the streets, and go put out a fire.
Why did God save you? You’re more than a piece of art. Yes, you’re a masterpiece. He created you beautifully. Jesus washed you clean in your baptism by the power of his blood and his cleaned out tomb.
But there’s more to salvation than pardon. There’s purpose. You’re not just saved from something, but for something. Something bigger than you.
David knew this, and in 2 Samuel 22:47-51 praises God for the “from” and “for” of being saved. “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!” David hurled a rock in his sling to kill a giant. David his in rocky caves fleeing from murderous King Saul. But he knew this: his bigger, better rock was his God.
Because God is your Rock and Savior, nothing changes in your identity when you’re harshly criticized (or when you criticize yourself), nothing changes spiritually when there’s bad news, no circumstances can get between you and God, no situations can scare God away. He’s unmovable. Rock and Savior.
“He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.” God saves you from … your bad habits, death, evil, fear, guilt, grief, hell, loss, your problems, and everything wrong in this world. These cannot hurt you or hold you back, even though they will try.
“Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” God saves you for a purpose. A mission.
Jesus didn’t save you just to be safe, but to be dangerous. Jesus didn’t just win the victory so that you could rest, but so that you could fight. Jesus doesn’t want just your praise, but the praise of your friends, neighbors, family and coworkers who aren’t praising him because they aren’t living for him in saving faith.
Praise God for saving you from, and also saving you for. For a battle, for a cause, for a dream, for a fight bigger than you because not only is God in it, but others whose lives will change because of it.
PRAYER: God, you are my Rock. Immovable. You are my Savior. Rescuing from. Dear Jesus, you’ve won the victory not only so that I can rest, but so that I can fight. Save me from. Save me for. I praise you for your pardon and purpose! Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: This past Sunday I preached on this section from 2 Samuel 22 and told the story of a Christian missionary who didn’t fear death. Because of it, thousands of people believe in Jesus Christ. Watch the sermon. Share it with friends.