I was out of my element.
Raised in Las Vegas, spending my college years and 20s in Phoenix, I’ve lived the vast majority of my life in big cities. So, when I was at a friend's place in northern Montana this winter, I pushed my boundaries.
My friends loaned me their truck to visit Glacier National Park - one of my favorite places on earth. As I was driving into the park, I noticed everything looked different covered in snow than it did when I was there on a 75-degree day last summer. Distracted by the scenery, I thought I had missed my turn! I found a pullout area to turn around and began backtracking to where I thought I should have turned.
As I headed down this side road, I quickly realized, “This is not where I am supposed to be.” I stopped, backed up, and attempted a three-point turn. (I hope I’m not triggering bad memories from your teenage driving test with that one!) Regardless, I was doing okay until I backed up and felt my tires begin to slip. Oh no!
Before I knew it, I slid on some ice and my back two tires were in very soft snow; even with four-wheel drive engaged, I wasn’t getting out.
I was so embarrassed. Thoughts raced through my mind.
“I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings.”
“I don’t know why I thought this was my turn!”
“Why didn’t I engage four-wheel drive sooner?!”
“How am I going to get myself out of this?!”
When I checked my phone, I took a deep breath and let it out in relief. Yes! I still had service.
I tried to call the park ranger hotline, but there was no answer. I tried to call my friends, but neither of them were answering their phones. I sat and waited as cars drove by, with several craning their neck to look my way. No one stopped.
After about 20 minutes, my friend called back and he tried the ranger line. No luck for him either. His ideas to get me out weren’t working and finally, we decided I needed to flag down a passing car.
But no one was coming down the road. Just when I was ready to ask for help, I felt like I was the only one in the park that day.
A few cars passed - they weren’t going to be of any help. Finally, I was able to flag down a truck. The driver had a brand new tow rope and they coached me on how to ride the gas once they started pulling me. After a couple of tries and some of their own battles with the snow and ice, I was free!
I did roll my eyes when a ranger drove by just as I pulled back on the main road, but I was glad to be on my way and I had an amazing day snowshoeing and sitting next to a beautiful lake.
As I was looking at photos from that adventure recently, I realized that my experience that day reminded me of my need for a Savior. That passing truck, with their new tow rope and their knowledge that this city boy lacked, saved my friend’s truck and my day in the park. After I tried everything I could and my friend offered all the wisdom he had, there was nothing else to do but throw up my hands and pray that someone would come to save me.
I didn’t want to ask for help. I tried every other option other than waving my hands at passing trucks. But I couldn't save myself, and I needed someone to save me.
While I did all I could to thank the three strangers who pulled me out of the snowbank, I realized what God did for me on the cross is worthy of so much more praise than that.
When’s the last time you considered how much you needed (and continue to need) a Savior? I know most people respond like I did when I got stuck. We say to ourselves, “I’m going to try to solve this myself. If all else fails, then I’ll ask for help.”
As humans, we are incapable of saving ourselves. Just as I was incapable of freeing that truck, all of us are incapable of freeing ourselves from the pattern of sin and self-centeredness.
In Romans 5, we read about how Jesus saved us when we were unable to save ourselves.
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners…So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
This passage reminds us of four reasons why Jesus is worthy of praise as our Savior.
We are in danger when we become overly familiar and lose our sense of awe and wonder at the idea of Jesus saving us. We will stop praising Jesus and underestimate His worthiness when we forget how hopeless and sinful we were when He came to save us. He declared us worthy. He chose to lavish love on us. He made us His friends.
Blanca sings about this theme in her song, "Even at My Worst."
“Even at my worst, you love me
You wrap your arms around and you hold me close
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve.”
RELATED CONTENT: Blanca Alleviates Performance-driven Fear of Abandonment in “Even at My Worst”
Jesus is worthy of praise because He gave us what we didn’t deserve - saving!
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer with the coolest last name ever. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He helps hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com
