God’s Emergency Codes… Hello Hump Day readers. I have a question for you: do you have a set of codes for yourself, your kids, your house, etc.? In my years as a paramedic and in dentistry, we had codes that we had to learn and abide by. Those codes could be a life-or-death situation and we never thought them to be silly or to be neglected. We memorized those codes—they were imprinted in our brains! In an ambulance you have to communicate with both fire, police and hospital. Each has a set of codes and if you don’t them, you can really begin a disaster. To this day I can still hear “Code Red” and I remember the procedure:

  1. Rescue those in immediate danger first
  2. Always activate the nearest fire/police alarm
  3. Close ALL doors and windows within reach, turn off fans/air-conditioners
  4. In a fire situation, extinguish fire with the fire extinguisher-only

These codes have saved millions of lives every year. In fact, it reminds me of today, 9/11, and without those codes even more people would have died! Here at the campground, now and then I can hear a police Code Red and my mind goes immediately to the procedures above. It’s automatic to me even though I haven’t practiced EMS for over 50 years!

We are getting ready to leave for Colorado again for 10 days. I received several codes from the National Forest campground that we need to use for bathrooms, gate codes, etc. Same thing with a few hot-springs places we are going to soak in and other places as well. For some reason, this idea of a code got me thinking of my spiritual life. Do I have a code for my life, for my marriage, for my faith?!

Let’s face the real facts: our lives can be up and down, sideways, falling apart—and God has given us emergency codes in those dangerous situations! So where do we find them? By digging into the Scriptures. But, if we don’t read them often, we’re not going to know the codes. So, below is a few that are very important to memorize when you need that code quickly:

Deut. 31:6        When you feel alone
Isaiah 41:10    When you feel fearful
Psalm 91          When you are in danger
Psalm 51          When you are wrestling with sin
Joshua 1:9      When you are lacking courage
Isaiah 26:3     When you are seeking peace for your soul
Psalm 34         When you are heart is broken and you need healing
Jeremiah 17   When your faith is failing and you need healing

In each of these Scriptures (and there’s a LOT more) we find the main ingredient we need to embrace: prayer!  In any of those situations above, you can pray through those Scriptures!

I love Jeremiah 17 where he declares, “Heal me O Lord and I will be healed; for you are the only one I praise.” What a powerful trust this struggling prophet had. Now that’s a code we all need, that’s the prayer we can all use in that situation.

We have those codes 24/7 and the steps from Scripture in them directs our paths and in a very specific way found in Psalm 37:23 (ERV): “The Lord shows us how we should live, and he is pleased when he sees people living that way.”

In closing, we all should be filled with the wonder of God’s codes that keep us on the right path for our faith-lives. Will we stumble, struggle, stress-out, have health problems and money woes-etc.?” Of course we will! This is living in our world, not God’s eternity. This is living in the world, not God’s eternity. But take this to heart: when you need emergency help, God’s codes are there for you, ever-present and guaranteed. After all, our safety and deliverance are found only in Christ alone! AMEN.