Lifesaver Man by Martin Wiles

“Lifesaver man.” It was his new name for his hero. 

On the Andy Griffith episode, "Andy Saves Gomer," Andy puts out a small oil fire at the filling station while Gomer sleeps soundly in a chair nearby. After Andy wakes Gomer and warns him about letting the owner throw cigar butts on top of greasy rags, Gomer is overcome with a sense of gratitude. 

Andy is now his “lifesaver man” and Gomer feels he must repay him.


Little does the Taylor family know how taxing Gomer’s good intentions will be-the culmination of which comes when he cuts them enough wood for four winters.

Andy finally stages a mock scene in which Gomer saves his life and the fiasco ends. Gomer obviously thought he could pay Andy back for saving him, but he couldn’t. Neither can we reimburse God for the gift of salvation.

There is a great difference between working out our salvation and working for our salvation. 

Paul instructs us to do the first: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) but cautions the second is impossible: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

God freely gives what we can’t earn or repay. But once the gift is received, the fun begins. 

Just as physical workouts produce muscle, strong hearts and an overall healthier lifestyle; spiritual workouts do the same. Through the spiritual exercise of prayer, Bible meditation, relationship building with other believers and corporate worship, we tone muscles that enable us to be victorious over temptation. Our hearts also beat stronger when infused with the assurance nothing can touch us that isn’t Father-filtered. Better health results when we let God handle “life” instead trying to do it ourselves.

Spirit of God, remind us we can’t work for Your free gift but we can share it with others and work out its practical results in our personal lives.

Image from Andy Griffith Show from Wikipedia with this notation: "This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice."
 
Read more about Martin on the Lead Writers' Page and read some of his other devotions on Lead Reads.