Have you seen the Disney movie Enchanted? Its beginning is not unlike other Disney animated features. There's a young maiden, happy and industrious, singing beautifully, while myriads of woodland creatures assist her in the chores of the day. She is dreaming and longing for her true love's kiss. The fellowship is sweet. The animal's harmony spot on. It's perfect. That is until she is cast into a well by the evil queen of "animated land." Amazingly, the well into which she's flung dumps her into New York City. She is now fully human, and fully distressed. She slowly realizes that the life she thought she had is not a fairy tale after all. But she also comes to realize that, in fact, true love does exist. And when all hope seems lost, and the sad end is inevitable, true love's kiss does arrive. She has been rescued. With her new found love and life she takes to the battle, fighting against the one who has sought her demise.

I identify with that. From my earliest memory everything seemed "song and dance," "fairy tale" perfect. Music in the air. Everybody smiling. I thought everybody loved everybody. You know, join hands and sing We Are the World or something. Then in almost an instant I realized this is no fairy tale. There are shadows and darkness. There's an enemy. I begin to recognize the shadows and darkness in me. Unkindness. Wrong attitudes. Selfishness. Lust. Pride. It was all there, lurking. Some days held at bay, others ruling over me, but always there.

But into the expanding story of darkness entered my hero, my true love. When everything seemed lost, and it was, Jesus Christ took my darkness upon Himself. The Bible says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." God rescued me through the death of His Son, Jesus. He continues to rescue me daily through the presence and power of His Holy Spirit. And one day He will rescue me forever by bringing me into His Kingdom.

My True Love has gradually been making His desire for rescue my desire as well. The Bible says that Jesus came to seek and to save those who were lost, to rescue them. He has given me the same assignment. Seek them. Tell them. Put them in the path and place of rescue.

Paul said to Timothy, "At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strenghtened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."