”On no account let them escape,” “Let them not escape by iniquity” (Ps 56:7 NIV,KJV)

Escape by iniquity…isn’t this the only way it’s done? The thief escapes the police by racing full-speed down the city streets; the disobedient child avoids the hand of discipline by fibbing. But here the Word of God through David speaks out, “On NO account…”

The only true escape must be the one the Lord provides. If so, the believer should be the most expert on what escape is all about.

How does one really escape? It must be an escape by righteousness. It’s provided by God, “God will also provide a way of escape” (2 Cor 10:13), and “Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials” (2 Pet 1:9). One of the surest ways to get out a test is to PASS it. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has STOOD the test…” It makes sense that the best way to get out of eighth grade is to pass the eighth grade exam.

We tend to FIGHT the trials we “fall into” (Ja 1:2). As long as we are fighting God, we have yet to crack the books for passing the course. We have yet to begin studying and learning what the instructor is looking for to pass the course. James says rather than to pray for an end to the trial, we “should ask” for generously-given wisdom…how can we make the trial count?, how can we invest it well to produce desirable results?, how can we pass the test, etc?

Jesus guides us in the Lord’s Prayer. We pray “lead us not into temptation…forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Just think, someone may be becoming a debtor to us today by “twisting my words all day long, always plotting…” (Ps 56:5). They are becoming bound by their wrong and, as above, will not escape by what they are doing.

Today we may release and forgive them and become an AGENT of escape for them. This may be the very action required for us to pass the test at their hands and inevitably allow grace for them to pass theirs.—————–