Hope Amid the Rubble

Yesterday I wrote of hope and today I saw a story that has given the people of Turkey much hope. After the massive earthquake of this past weekend, searchers had been digging frantically for survivors. Then they heard the cries of a child... a two week old baby girl. For two days, this child had been held in the arms of her mother, buried under their collapsed apartment building.

Wonder what the mother thought about? Wonder if she cried and called out in terror? I'm sure she did, but she never let go of the baby...not for two whole days while she was pinned down. Baby Azra was held close and protected as much as possible and when rescue workers finally heard the cries, they were able to break a small hole through the debris and the baby was offered up and lifted out into the waiting arms of medical people. She is alive now and her mother was rescued a bit after.

Azra...that's the baby's name and that name in Hebrew means "help". I don't know the faith of this young mother...I can guess....but I don't know. I DO know what God promises us in His word. He promises to be our help.

Psalm 30:2
LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 54:4
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Psalm 63:7
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—

Azra's life has been spared and she lives as a symbol of hope for the people of Turkey. Her rescue from the ruin can be a symbol for us, too, as we look to the Lord for help and for rescue. He promises that He will be there to lift us up and to set our feet on solid ground.

Have you been feeling buried under your circumstances? Have you been feeling hopeless and that God has forgotten you? Don't give up! Help is only a cry away.