A cry for help! An urgent appeal for rescue! S O S! Save our Souls - Save our Ship!
Are you aware that S O S means neither of these things and is not an acronym for anything? In fact, S O S was chosen because the letters could easily be transformed into Morse code. The code was invented by Samuel Morse. It was easily transmitted as . . . - - - . . . in Morse code. S O S originated in German government maritime radio regulations and was adopted in 1906 as the International Code Signal of extreme distress, used especially by ships at sea. Even today it is still recognized as a standard distress signal, consisting of three short/three long/three short flashes of light, and in some cases the individual letters "S O S" have been spelled out, for example, stamped in a snowbank or formed out of logs on a beach. The fact that "S O S" can be read right side up as well as upside down (as an ambigram) is an advantage for visual recognition, too.
I have known people who literally spelled out the letters S O S because they needed rescuing from a fall on a hike or on a glacier skiing! There have been days and moments in my life when I send out the S O S signal for help, and it seemed no one could rescue me!
There are days and moments when our hearts cry out for rescue, especially during this COVID crisis. We need encouragement. We need support. We need prayers! Yes, we do! Let's remember that God, rich in mercy, sent Jesus, to rescue us from the darkness of sin, death and the power of Satan. Now THAT, is the best rescue imaginable! Let's also be encouraged by these and so many other Scripture passages which speak to us when we are in distress and need rescuing. Here are a few of my favorites:
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 31:2-3 "Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Romans 8:31 & 38-39 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
~Rachel Klitzing