Do we need to be rescued?

Photo by Ilya Ignatiev on Unsplash

Have you noticed how certain ads appear stating,“You might be interested in….” and they can sometimes have the most tenuous link to a previous search. Well, recently it happened quite by chance that I was offered  a chance to listen to “ABC conversations” with Dr.  Richard Harris, Australian of the Year 2019.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed the link to an interview with someone who turned out to be the diver and anaesthetist who was part of the rescue of the Thai boys’ football team two years ago. 

Although I had watched the footage at the time, as I listened to the interview, it became apparent what a monumental task the rescue involved. There were thousands of people offering different solutions from pumping water out of caves to even producing a rocket! 

Initially when the concept of sedation or anaesthetic was raised Dr. Harris gave it zero chance of success, saying it was an impossible task. One of the reasons being that once sedated the facial muscles would loosen and water would enter the mask and cause drowning.  I’ll not spoil how this and other problems were overcome, except to say that it was excellent teamwork and problem solving skills, along with multiple generous offers of equipment and expertise. 

Having trust

What Dr Harris later related was his astonishment at the trust each of the boys put in him and the plan to be rescued. The boys trusted him with the fact they would be put to sleep. Subsequently, their hands would be tied behind their backs and legs tied together to make them streamlined, as a diver pushed them through the cave system while they were sedated!  

It takes a lot of faith to put your complete trust in someone. 

A few years ago I underwent surgery which required an anaesthetic. I still remember thinking as I waited for the anaesthesia to take effect - I’m either going to wake up in hospital or in heaven. I was putting my life in someone else’s hands-quite literally. And as I listened to the story I had to ask myself would I have done what these boys did. They couldn’t see what was happening outside. They didn’t know the different methods which had been planned and discounted. They only knew that this man would put them to sleep, and they would be saved.  And that’s what happened, all 12 boys and their coach were rescued.

When the water is rising

Let’s face it – we’re stuck in a metaphorical cave, and the water is rising. Who is going to rescue us? We can’t find it in ourselves, our self-help books change the outside, they don't change the inside. We know the reality forced upon us these months from without, but what about the quiet knowledge within that even before a pandemic we didn’t measure up, not even to our own standards, never mind God’s.  We lost our temper, or hurt and upset others, or lied, or ignored others when we should have helped. Now we’re doing what we can, holding it together for our families, sending our kids off outside of home, trying to do our best and hoping nothing more will be required of us. And maybe wondering that surely this makes us good enough?

For the Thai boys on the football team the score of the last game couldn’t change their situation. Their grades in school, or who had the newest bicycle tied up outside wouldn’t make any difference when faced with one of life’s ultimate realities. But into an impossible situation comes their rescuer. An expert! Someone who not only knows the plan, but can execute it, and asks them to trust him to carry it out.

The Great Exchange

The Christian faith also points to a Rescuer. Someone who knew all along what the plan of rescue would be. This person would be the only person who could complete the impossible task. 

There is a gap between us and God caused by our wrong doing and selfish thoughts, something the Bible calls sin. And we cannot remain before a perfect God because of this. So Jesus came, as part of the agreed plan with the Father.

God sent Jesus (and Jesus came willingly) to live a perfect life, knowing that He would die on the Cross for the wrongdoing of others. When we put our trust in Jesus, our faith in Jesus, turning from our life of wrongdoing, our lives are exchanged. Jesus’ life for ours. Jesus Christ is considered as punished in our place, and we are given His perfect life, acceptable to God the Father.  CS Lewis, author of the Narnia series, called it The Great Exchange. 

Some day we will all have to face this ultimate reality. I’m not waiting until the last moment to be prepared. That’s why if I end up going under anaesthesia again, I’ll still be saying I’m either waking up in hospital or in heaven.