But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) – Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT

‘Lifeline’ is one of those funny words. It looks like different things to different people. Kinda like if I said ‘McDonalds’- some of you would straight away be frothing at the mouth at the thought of Chicken Nuggets. Others of you are probably screwing your nose up in disgust, cos you’re athletes like that and you can’t be tamed. We’ve all seen game shows where someone is trying to win a truck-load of money and they are allowed some sort of ‘lifeline’. You know how it goes… it gets to that one question that they can’t answer and they are given the options of ‘Phone-A-Friend’, ’50/50′ and so on before they say “Lock it in Eddie, I’ll take A for $10 million” (even though we all know the answer is always C). For deep-sea divers, a ‘lifeline’ is a little more serious. It describes a shot-line that’s connected to a ‘buoy’ that helps them find their way to the surface (just think of those floating things on the water that seagulls love to sit on in almost every movie that has an ocean scene). When divers find themselves swimming in strong tides or dark waters where they can’t see, they can safely navigate the deep waters because they have a lifeline. Sometimes they are even attached by a lifeline to a more experienced diver who can lead them to safety if needed. Let’s be honest, life is not always a happy summer-day’s swim. The waves of life can be overwhelming at times … even frightening. At some point, we’ve all called out for a lifeline. Some of us have used the word ‘lifeline’ to describe how a particular person was there for us when everything in our world seemed to be falling apart and we were drowning in the storm of a difficult situation. We are thrown a lifeline and feel overwhelmed to receive the support we so desperately need to keep our head above water and keep going until the storm has passed. Now think about it. As much as us humans are capable of pretty incredible acts of support and selflessness, we are still inconsistent and unreliable at the best of times. We get tired, we get busy, we run out of money … we have limits. THANK GOD that His strength and compassion has no limits- He has all the time in the world for us and will never fail to hear our cries and throw us a lifeline. In fact, He IS our lifeline! Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) says “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” The Message Bible puts it this way- “It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God.” When you find yourself in the midst of dark waters & strong currents, attach yourself to the Lifeline (Jesus) through prayer. Grab a hold with both hands and never let go. He is sure, He is secure, and His promise in Romans 10:13 is that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” No one who trusts God like this–heart and soul–will ever regret it. Take a moment today to think back on times when you needed a lifeline to be thrown your way and thank God that He pulled you through. Maybe it was a person He sent to help you, maybe He provided for you ... or maybe His presence reassured and strengthened you. Maybe there are areas in your life now that you need to take a hold of the lifeline He has thrown you? Ask Him to give you the courage to reach out and take a hold, so that in the midst of the storm, you will find yourself anchored to the greatest Lifeline of all.