Rescue from the Dungeon of Despair

It’s so dark.
It’s so dank.
The air is heavy,
The atmosphere oppressive in this grotto,
The dungeon of despair,
And of hopelessness.

I have some friends down there.
They sit on the filthy floor among many others in the gloom,
Some hugging their knees,
All of them with their backs against the cold, stone wall,
Lining the circumference of the entire underground chamber.
They can barely breathe.
They have no energy.
No motivation.
Nowhere to go.
No direction.
No understanding of God’s purpose for their lives.

If they did get out of here,
Where would they go?
What would they do?
They see no brightness in their future.
Fear clutches their hearts.
Hopelessness registers on their faces.
Despair clings to them with icy fingers
And holds them down.

There is a hole in the ceiling of the horrible prison.
It’s big enough for a person to get through.
I lie by the hole in the semidarkness outside the prison
And try to remove the cover.
I recoil.
Slime and goo cover my hand.  Ugh!
I can’t do it!
I can’t go down there to rescue them.
I’m too weak.

I could call and try to get their attention;
I could lower a rope.
But they are all staring blindly into the space in front of them.
None of them are even looking around for a way out.
Would any of them even see the rope that offers them hope?

As I lie there, I realize that Jesus came down once
Into this world of darkness and woe.
He came down to a hopeless world.
He, the Holy Son of God
Rubbed shoulders with our despair.
He came down from impeccable glory to hang in agony on a cross
To bring us hope.
He took the deplorable, disgusting, loathsome, sticky goo,
The sliminess of our sin
On His Holy Self,
That we might be forgiven,
That we might have hope.

I grieve and moan at what He had to go through for me.
And for them down there.
But HE is strong enough.
Strong enough to go down and pick them up
And bring them out of that vile vault of hopelessness!

What can I do?

I can pray.
I can call out to Jesus on behalf of my friends.
I can ask Him to go down to them in the dungeon of despair.
Please, Jesus,
Hold their hands,
Touch their hearts,
Catch their gaze with Your loving eyes,
Convince them that there is hope,
That You have a purpose for their lives,
That they have somewhere to go, and
That You will give them direction and strength and all that they need.
Show them the opening up above them.
Pick them up in your loving arms.
Rescue them from the desolate dungeon of despair,
And give them hope again.
Hope in You,
The Savior.
The Lover of their souls.
Their Rescuer,
Their Hero.

Bring them out of that wretched pit,
And set their feet on the Rock that never can be moved.
Save them and show them Your way.
Lead them on the path of Your light,
Your joy,
Your love,
Your hope,
Your peace.
Surround them with Your Strong Presence,
And lead them in newness of life.
Deliver them from the enemy of their souls,
And help them to walk with You on the path that You will show them,
Hand in hand with You,
Their Faithful Friend.
Forever.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

Linking up with:

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Testimony Tuesday

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RaRa Linkup

Soul Survival, Moments of Hope, Glimpses

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Thought Provoking Thursday,  Chasing Community

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