The ones that get away

Tonight I'm feeling a bit melodramatic.  As many of you know, I've chosen a line of work where I'm frequently in harms way, I deal with life and death every day, sometimes in its cruelest forms.  Working as a trauma nurse at a trauma 1 center, I see the worst that there is, working on a fire department as an EMT and recruit, I see even worse things sometimes.  Nothing prepares you for seeing and feeling what you're going to see and feel.

Many years ago a movie came out, it was about a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, a legend.  He had worked many years and had an impressive career.  Late into the movie a recruit asks him a pivotal question.

It gets you to thinking.  In this line of work, we so seldom remember the successes, but for certain we remember the failures.  Of course the character portrayed in this movie is fictional, but thats not the important part.  The important part is the idea.  

This idea is biblical, in 2 Peter 3:9 it says, 

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." NIV

God doesn't want any man to perish, but some have and more will.  While God will remember EVERY one he has lost, He has it right, He also remembers EVERY one that he saves.

Lets take a cue from "the author and perfecter", lets remember the ones we loose, but also remember the ones we save.