Rescued
Scripture Reading — Psalm 107
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.
Four dramatic stories of reversal and rescue make up the heart of this psalm. These are perilous circumstances: lost in the desert, locked up in prison, afflicted and near death, and perishing at sea. In all of these situations, God acts in powerful, life-giving ways to rescue and restore.
If we think our lives are beyond help or rescue, we are wrong. God guides us out of the desert, breaks our chains, speaks words of healing, and calms the stormy sea. We may go down, but God will always bring us back up. Whatever it takes, God can do it.
Many readers note that the stories in this psalm remind them of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus comes to rescue, deliver, free, and restore. He feeds the hungry and provides living water, releases people from chains of disability and illness, rescues people from the grave, and calms the stormy sea.
The gospel Jesus proclaims is the good news of God’s steadfast love. In all that Christ does, we see God’s love in action.
We may not have stories like these to tell, but we all have the story of Ephesians 2: we were dead in our sins, following the ways of this world and deserving of wrath. But even though we were unable to utter a simple cry for help, God—out of his steadfast love and mercy—rescued us through the work of Jesus Christ.
Lord, no place is too far, no problem too hard, no dark-ness too deep—not even death—to keep you from gath-ering us into your loving arms. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
About the author — Thea Leunk
Thea Nyhoff Leunk has been a high school English teacher, a director of Christian education, a pastor of discipleship, and a regional coach for the Christian Reformed Church in North America. She is currently the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thea has also written courses for teens and young adults on world religions, Christian faith traditions, and science and the Bible. She and her husband have three adult children.
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