Saving often means restoring something to its original condition, like cars or furniture. We seek healing in order to save us from sickness and to restore us to a condition in which we can enjoy life more fully. Although we can get upset when things break or fall apart, restoration may also bring a new level of satisfaction or gratitude.

Americans spend almost $15,000 annually per person for medical care (in 2023 - much of which is paid indirectly by employers or government), with the primary goal to restore us back to good health, a priceless status. Although the medical system heroically saves lives, no level of spending can change the inevitability of physical death.

Only when I realize the full potential impact to my physical or spiritual health will I become desperate to find a way out or through it. I may even feel desperation for another person’s situation, developing a codependency while I try to rescue them from their trouble (which they may not even see). In either case, my way is fueled by hope. But if I lose even hope, what then?

A Hail Mary pass. An experimental medical treatment. Refugees crowding into unseaworthy boats. A trip to Las Vegas when already deep in debt. A man committing adultery and murder, and then asking God for mercy. The common thread is hope, that a desperate act could save or remedy a situation. But success is far from guaranteed.

Most would take desperate measures to save their own life, even while realizing it will be lost eventually. But fewer desperately seek an eternal life reconciled with God, which can never be lost. King David’s desperation (in the verses below) drove him to God as the only Person holding the remedy to his sin. My sin may not seem as bad as David’s, but any sin puts me in a desperate position, separated from my only hope, the perfectly just and holy God. Once I realize this, the only sensible action - which some may call desperate - is to plead for God's rescue, His mercy and salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ death on the cross.

When I feel there is no rescue from a difficult situation, I lose hope. Sometimes the situation is actually as dire as I see it. At other times my fatigue or emotions may be overwhelming a true perspective. But either circumstance can plunge my present situation into a real abyss of hopelessness.

In 2021, ”there were almost twice as many suicides (48,183) in the United States as there were homicides (26,031). Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 34." - 2023 US CDC data

Ironically, the only remedy for a lost hope is a new hope. New hope comes from something new - maybe a new goal that is more attainable than the present one, or a new perspective formed by reading God’s word.

Every person should love and help other people. Every person also has needs, some more than others (such as a small child or an aged parent with infirmities). If I am pouring my life into another person, I may do well to ask myself a few questions:

o Are my efforts helping or hurting the person long term?
o Am I encouraging the other to become more independent and grow in the attributes of God?
o Have I established any needed boundaries or set proper expectations for the relationship?
o Do I deliberately respond or impulsively react to their words and actions?
o Am I mistakenly trying to help or give hope where God alone is capable of doing that?

We all have an intense desire to be blameless, which often causes us to look to others as the source of our woes. And sometimes we are right! But even when fault clearly lies with another, our cry and steps for justice by “any means necessary” can itself bring us blame. An honest look inward at the start is the best first step. The only one in history truly innocent is Christ, who also is the only perfect liberator - the only One who can make us, and satisfy our desire to be, blameless.

It is madness to believe I can save myself by being good enough to hang out with a holy God. To hope that I or any other person is naturally good enough or will naturally improve over time ignores both history and current events.

Jesus is not a cuddly pet lamb to play with or demand things from, but a blood sacrifice. The Gospel (meaning Good News) begins with the bad news that all of us sin, and our sin is deserving of death. But believing in Jesus’ bloody, sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the grave will save us from this penalty of eternal death and restore believers to a right and eternal relationship with God.

Stop trying to justify myself through my works, but rely solely on Jesus’ work on the cross to save me. Realize that through Jesus' salvation I am free from the impossible law of working to be good enough and the associated judgment of failure. Let Jesus' salvation increase my love for Him so I'll be motivated to love others in response to the loving remedy He provides me.
Ask: Why am I doing this good work?

Merciful God, you alone can restore my relationship with you. Not my good works, not my church membership, nor even my sacrifice of praise. Bring me to the point of realizing that my only hope of salvation is Your work in me.

Christianity views man as sinful - worthy only of God’s wrath - making the need for salvation obvious. A secularist view typically views man as both good and bad, but getting better (evolving) with time. Which view has more evidence?

The secularist view of man’s improvement often points to global stats like the following from a 10/17/18 article from VOX: 'A 70% reduction in poverty over the last 30 years, lifespans doubling over the last century, homicide and violent crimes dropping over the last few decades, literacy and education levels soaring, improved internet accessibility and much lower costs of renewable energy sources.'

There is no doubt that life is indeed getting longer and much more comfortable. But is man truly getting better? Christianity’s measures of better are how well we reflect God's image in our lives: Are we more truthful? More patient, humble and loving? Are we faithful to our commitments? Do we live with more peace and joy?

Salvation brought by Christ is celebrated by both Christmas (His birth) and Easter (His resurrection from death on the cross). The exact day of His birth was not recorded, but is celebrated around the globe. So how was this date established?

December 25 was first identified as the date of Jesus’ birth by Sextus Julius Africanus (a Christian historian) in 221. It was first celebrated in 336 - but not widely until the 9th century. It was banned by the the Puritans in the 17th century because it often included drunkenness and other misbehavior. The current tradition of including Santa Claus and gift giving came only a couple hundred years ago.

So why December 25th? It was customary to honor not the birth, but the death, of martyrs. Hence Good Friday and Easter were the predominant days observed theologically. Good Friday is tied to the Jewish Passover - when the Jews in Egypt were “passed over” (saved) from the 10th plague of death to all first-born by putting the blood of a lamb sacrifice on doorposts. Passover timing was historically spring and it was also thought that Christ’s Spirit entered the world at the same day of year (celebrated March 25 as Annunciation Day, marking Gabriel telling Mary she would conceive). Hence, Christmas was established nine months later! This thinking was bolstered by this day being the Roman winter solstice, the day from which light is daily added.

Propitiation: The act of appeasing a deity. In the Old Testament, animal blood was annually spilled on top of the ark of the covenant, deflecting God's wrath from heaven. This wrath came because of violations of the law, which was physically located in the ark (as stone tablets). In the New Testament, Christ’s shed blood on the cross served the same saving purpose, though it was a perfect once-for-all-time sacrifice.

"Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, Power in the blood
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb" - First verse and chorus of Power In The Blood - Lewis E. Jones, 1899