At 3 AM, Marine Corporal Zachary Mayo strolled out on the deck of the aircraft carrier. Little did he realize that in a moment he’d plunge into a life-threatening ordeal.

        The ship cruised the Indian Ocean and Zachary Mayo was on deck taking a late evening stroll. Suddenly, a heavy metal door swung open and knocked him overboard. For the next 36 hours, this courageous Marine clung to life in the shark-infested sea. Repeatedly he inflated his coveralls to stay afloat. He drifted in and out of sleep. At night, sea creatures nibbled his toes. Sharks encircled him. Mayo prayed constantly for God's protection. At the point of exhaustion, he was finally picked up by some local fisherman. Three days later Mayo made a joyful phone call home announcing his rescue.

        Don’t our lives somewhat parallel this marine's ordeal? Sometimes we feel isolated in our pain. Desperate. Sensing little hope for rescue. Whatever battle you’re facing, I want you to draw strength from these words of Paul. Reflecting on his severe trials, he said,  “in our heart we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead...On him we have set our hope that he will continually deliver us. ” (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, NIV) The God of hope ultimately rescues you.