God has a million and one ways to save His people. The Bible provides example after example of saints who just narrowly escape the clutches of an enemy in hot pursuit. For many of them deliverance came at the 11th hour – testing the faith of those who put their trust in Almighty God.

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33, tells about a time in Damascus when the governor actually had the city on lockdown in order to arrest him. Paul was “lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.”  Not exactly the most glamorous escape,  yet God was with him and delivered His servant from harms way.  

Peter is another example. In Acts 12 the Apostle Peter is arrested and thrown in prison only to be escorted out in the middle of the night by an angel. The Bible says that when Peter finally realized what happened to him he said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.” (Acts 12:11).

In 1 Samuel 23:26-28, David and his men were running away from Saul on one side of a mountain while Saul and his forces were about to close in on him from the other side. Suddenly a messenger appears out of nowhere with urgent news about a Philistine raid.  Saul broke off his pursuit of David to deal with a problem of a more immediate nature.  Providentially the capture of David was bumped to the lower end of Saul’s priority list.  David and his men miraculously escaped that day.  

These are just a few examples of God’s elect who found themselves in critical situations – all of whom, without divine intervention, would have perished at the hands of the enemy.  While the above examples differ in detail, they are similar in that all faced incredibly desperate situations with potentially disastrous endings.

There are times when a clear action is required on our part.  Then there are times when the matter is completely outside of our control.  All we can do is wait and take heart in the salvation of God.   Isaiah 30:1 says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”

If you find yourself today with your back up against the wall and facing an uncertain future, take heart:  God is with you.  He has promised to take care of you. While death is inevitable for everyone, as Christians we are invincible until He calls us home.  God has many ways to deliver you.  Like Peter, Paul, David and many others who have gone before us, God will rescue you and you will slip through the hands of the enemy every time! 

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14)