You may have heard people say, “I’m saved.” You may even say that yourself when you talk about your relationship with Jesus. But what does it mean to be saved? What happens when you accept God’s gift of salvation?

Salvation rescues you from yourself. Many people don’t think they need to be saved or “rescued” from anything. And I ask them, “Really? You have no pain in your life? You have no resentment, pressures, guilt, or anxiety?” Everyone has problems they can’t solve on their own. Everyone needs to be rescued. Everyone needs Jesus.

The Bible says, “Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15 GW).

Salvation recovers what you lost. What would you like to get back? Maybe you’ve lost your confidence, your joy, your reputation, your dream, or your innocence. Jesus came to recover what you’ve lost.

If you’re familiar with farming, you probably know how damaging a swarm of locusts (grasshoppers) can be. They can destroy a field of corn in about two hours.

What has eaten away at your life? What has destroyed your profitability, plans, or relationships? Only God can restore it all. Joel 2:25 says, “I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops” (GNT).

Salvation reconnects you to God. When you surrender your life to God, Jesus makes peace between you and him. He tears down all the barriers that once separated you from your Creator. There’s a word for that: reconciliation.

The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18 CEV).

Being reconciled to God also means you will live with him forever. You will have a home in heaven for all eternity! That’s why preparing for the next life is the most important thing you can do in this life.