A major part of the nation of Holland was salvaged from the ocean by pushing the water back and building dikes. I used to be stationed on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. It is an island that was made by pulling up the silt and debris from the bottom of the Bay and piling it up until they finally made a nice little island out there, next to a hump that stuck up all the time, which they call Yerba Buena. It was basically a salvage job. Salvaging the bottom of the Bay to build an island.

God is in the salvage business! Jesus Christ’s mission in this world is built around salvaging human lives. I’m familiar with rescue missions whose ministry is also salvaging lives – extending the grace of God to people. I’ve met a few people who have told me what their life was like beforehand, and what it was like after they met Jesus Christ at some rescue mission. Every true church, regardless of it’s size or denomination is in the salvage business. While we think about ourselves as nice people who get together to worship God and sing His praises together, the church is really involved in salvage. Some of us have been salvaged – hopefully all of us have been salvaged. Sometimes when God starts with us our lives are blemished – they’re damaged by evil, crushed by sin, lives that have been lost to God. To this work of salvaging, our Lord gave Himself continually and gladly, saying that, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11) As He walked over Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, Jesus was always, directly or indirectly, rescuing the wandering sheep of His Father, and bringing them back into the fold. That was the force behind every sermon He preached, every lesson He taught, every interview He held. Every long night given to agonizing prayer was related to the salvage business. That’s the explanation of the cross. Because this is the task that Jesus gave Himself to before His death, it is not surprising that between the resurrection and His ascension He engaged in the same thing.

John 21 really illustrates this. Jesus’ first concern after His resurrection was to those apostles who had followed Him closely. Of the twelve, one of them betrayed Him and eventually took his own life. We know that most of them fled. They ran because they were afraid of what might happen to them if they didn’t. One apostle that we know well was Peter. When Jesus was going through some tough times prior to His crucifixion, Peter warmed his hands at the enemy’s fire. When accosted by a little girl who suggested Peter was one of Christ’s disciples, he denied it. He denied it again. He finally cursed and denied even knowing Him.

When Jesus came back He was interested in looking up this little band of people who had basically fallen apart, and rescuing them. John describes these efforts by Jesus to salvage His own followers. Jesus asked three questions of these disciples, and I think in one way or another He asks us all the same questions. When He came to them they were apparently out in the boat. He asked them, "Children, do you have any meat?" (John 21:5) One translation says, "Boys, have you got anything to eat?" I think we can universalize that to every need in our life. Do you have a need in your life? All of us at one time or another face things that are really tough. I know from experience, however, that when one does the Lord’s will and keeps doing what He wants you to do, He meets the needs of our hearts. God loves us and can salvage us. When He comes to us when we’re falling apart and puts us back together, the restoration is better than the original. When He rebuilds us we will be stronger, better people, with more love, compassion, and understanding. His rebuilt jobs are better than the original.

Jesus asks the question, "Do you have any needs?" The first need is that even the best of us need our sins blotted out. We need forgiveness.

+ Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling. + *

+ Just as I am, without one plea.
But that Thy blood was shed for me.
And that thou bidst me come to Thee,
Oh Lamb of God, I come, I come. + **

He’s still at work. He still asks if we have any needs. He stands ready to fill them. It is interesting to me that when He asked, "Do you boys have anything to eat," He already had the fire with fish cooking on it. He could meet their needs. He asked, "Do you love me?" That’s the big question for all of us. Do we love Him? Do we love Him more than this situation, more than our possessions, more than anything else? If you are going through a time that’s easy, follow Jesus. If you’re going through times that are difficult for you, the best way out of it is to follow Jesus. Let Him meet the needs in your life. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus. God is in the salvage business!