And the Lord will rescue me from all evil and take me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever! Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18, GNT

 

David and Paul. When these two talked about being saved, they spoke from experience and not from hearsay. They came through the crucible and experienced God as Saviour firsthand. Both of them can speak about God as Saviour with authority.

 

The song that is recorded here in 2 Samuel is also available as Psalm 18. At the beginning of 2 Samuel 22, it is said that this song was recorded when the Lord saved David from Saul and his other enemies.

 

David used many different titles for God to describe what he did for him in his time of need – protector, strong fortress, shield, and defence. The word that brings all of these together is the word saviour. To be saved by God is indeed as David said, to be freed, to be given protection and to have a shield that keeps all dangers away.

 

When Paul wrote to Timothy, his service to the Lord was questioned. It was not only in this instance that he experienced opposition. It happened at many points where he proclaimed the message about Jesus Christ. He mentioned, for instance, the metalworker, Alexander, who did him much harm. Paul also experienced that nobody stood by him when he had to defend himself before the court. But he also said that it does not matter, for: “the Lord will rescue me from all evil.”

 

To have God as our Saviour is not just about enemies in this dispensation. After all, the central message of the Bible is that God redeems us and saves us from eternal damnation. Like a lifesaver at the beach who saves people from drowning, God saves us from the second death. It is therefore fitting that we read: “And we have seen and tell others that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

 

Prayer: We give you glory and praise, our Father, for being our Saviour when life becomes unbearable, but above all, that you deliver us from evil. Amen.