What Are These Among So Many?

I read a story, in Saturday's paper, about the recovery of two women trapped in debris from buildings that collapsed during the earthquake that struck Indonesia. The article goes on to state that there are already 715 confirmed dead and nearly 3,000 missing. As I thought about this and other recent natural disasters, my mind kept returning to these two women, and why their recovery is so important. I must admit that I, like the disciple Andrew, began to ask, "But what are these among so many?" Andrew was speaking about five loaves and two fishes and wondering how so little could feed so many (5000 men plus their wives and children). I was speaking about two survivors among possibly thousands of lives lost. Why would two lives spared mean anything in light of the staggering loss?

I can think of at least three reasons why these two lives mean something: they were created in the image of God, God desires that they not perish, but come to repentance, and they restore hope in a devastating situation.

The Bible states that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. While this image has been marred by Adam's sin, it has not be erased. The image of God within humanity is what separates us from the animals. Animals are not people, even if they possess personality. Human beings are not animals, even if modern scientific classification wrongly claims they are. Humans are the image-bearers, created to reflect the glorious image of God, through righteous stewardship and kingly dominion. Our king and ancestor, Adam, and his wife, Eve, however, but ruin to our race, humanity, by rebelling against the Creator.

The image of God reveals itself to us in many ways. It may come through as our conscience pointing us to what we ought to do or pointing us away from what we ought not to do. It is seen in the ability to love. It is often seen actions, often labeled heroic by bystanders, but seen as duty by those who do them. We see it when a firefighter or police officer enters into a dangerous situation to rescue someone. We see it when a neighborhood bands together to find a missing child. When fallen people, who are typically out of sync with God, do the very things God expects them to do, for the very reasons God expects them to be done, even without thinking, "Gee, I wonder what God would have me to do?," that is when we see the image of God revealed in man. Because of that image, every person, no matter how big or small, rich or poor, young or old, deserves to be valued and treated with dignity.

The Bible also teaches that God patient toward us "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9). The Lord asks, "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his ways and live?" (Ezek. 18:23, ESV). God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to redeem the world, and any who come to Christ in faith, for forgiveness and cleansing, will find it.

The question might be asked, "If God doesn't wish any would perish, why were only two survivors found?" I can't answer that question. I can't even say that these two women will ever come to Christ in faith, and thus, find true deliverance from death. All I can say with certainty is that God delights in bringing himself glory through the redemption of sinners. He rejoices when one sinner repents and comes to him.

Thus, the recovery of these two women is analogous to the redemption of mankind. In one sense, these women were lost. They were as good as dead. Death surrounded them on every side. Yet, someone who they could not contact, who they most like didn't expect to find them, burst into their situation and raised them out of death's clutches. Redemption's story is similar to this situation. Humanity was lost. We were dead in our trespasses. Death surrounded us on every side. We had no hope of escape. And then someone we could not contact for help, and certainly didn't expect, burst into our life and pulled us out of death's hands.

Thus, the recovery of these women bring hope to an otherwise hopeless situation. When few thought that any could still be alive, two were found. Others may be out there awaiting recovery. No doubt word of these survivors energized rescue workers. Now as they search frantically through the rubble of their cities, these individuals will keep reminding themselves it happened once, it may happen again. As they uncover victim after victim, their heart will not allow them to give into despair, because the next body just may have a pulse. The rescue workers will press on, is spite of the growing stench and exhaustion that is creeping into their over-labored limbs. They push on because, they can't rest knowing now that their may be survivors.

Again, we can draw a parallel to the Christian life. Believers are called to be search and rescue workers. We must keep plunging into the dark and stench-filled world, seeking survivors buried under the rubble of sin. When someone else is rescued it motivates us to push on. We continue seek the lost, in order to seem them brought from death to life. We can't rest when we might see one more rescued. We must labor on until every rock is overturned, and everyone has had a chance to be rescued.

Ultimately, the rescue of these two women reminds us that life is a gift. We never know which moment will be our last. These two women have been give a new lease on life, I pray that someday, they can rejoice in the Lord for that. Yet, there are many more who could have a new lease of life, if only we tell them about Jesus before it is too late.