A week of Vacation Bible School (VBS) is both exhausting and exhilarating. Indeed, VBS is a time of amped up kids and tapped out adults, but it’s totally worth it in the end. It’s worth it because the Gospel is worth it. That is to say, sharing the Gospel with children in fresh and understandable ways is totally worth the energy, time, and subsequent exhaustion.

This year’s VBS is no exception. I am so incredibly grateful for all of the amazing volunteers and workers at this year’s VBS at Prairie Flower Baptist Church. Our theme is “Shipwrecked: Rescued By Jesus” and we have had some great lessons on the rescuing power of Jesus despite our lostness, temptations, and sin. In addition to the lessons, the decorations are top of the line, the skits are creative, the games are fun, the snacks are yummy, and the songs are deep with meaning. In fact, one song in particular has really grabbed my attention this week. It’s entitled, “Rescue Me.” Here are some of the lyrics from this song:

“I didn’t know it would be this hard. I didn’t think I could fall so far, but here I am. How did I stray so far off course? How can I get back to the shore? Lord, here I am. And the waves are crashing all around. I need you God and I need you now. Rescue me. I can feel the water rising. Rescue me, Jesus…Lord, I’m in so deep and I feel powerless to save myself. Only you can be the help I need. Rescue me.”

Just a few thoughts on this song…

1. Sin, though pleasurable for a time, steers us towards a dark and stormy place. I love how this song captures the subtle and deceptive nature of sin. Yes, the Bible makes clear that sin is pleasurable for a time (Heb. 11:25), but in the end it leads to misery and death (Rom. 6:23). Sin is not to be coddled in our lives, but identified and eliminated with fervency.
2. No matter how dark the night, we can always cry to Jesus for help. I love how this song mimics the cry of an overwhelmed sinner (Psalm 51). Indeed, there are times in our lives when we are so lost and confused that all we can do is cry to Jesus for help. And when we do, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus actually hears us, and, in His perfect time, He will answer us.
3. Only Jesus can truly help us and rescue us from our sin and selfishness. The line in this song that really grabs me is this one: “I’m in so deep [in my sin and selfishness] and I feel powerless to save myself.” Yes, how good it is to “feel powerless” because we are powerless. We cannot save ourselves. We need a Rescuer. We need a Savior…and His name is Jesus (Matt. 1:21).

Here is the full song, if you’re interested in listening…