Redeemed from Rebellion

Psalm 107:2-3 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.”

A short devotional today points to a cycle of God’s mercy and love for us. It unpacked this Psalm of praise for God’s providence centers around God’s deliverance from particular problems. In each case, the individuals prayed for deliverance that resulted in God’s miraculous rescue and a response of praise. This cycle reminds us of the pattern during the time of the Judges when “every man did what was right in his own eyes”. Due to their rebelliousness, God brought the people of Israel into captivity over and over again. Each time, in the midst of their oppression, they cried unto the Lord, who raised up a judge and empowered him to vanquish the enemy and free the people.

The devotional brings to our attention that the exact same pattern can be found in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple. He recognized man’s tendency to rebel and forget the Lord’s provision when things are going well, thus eliciting God’s judgment. But God has always used times of trouble to bring men and women back to Himself. He is a God of grace and mercy and love, desiring to forgive and restore those who repent and call to Him for deliverance.

Bringing this reality into our current application, the same truth applies today. We still tend to rebel, and He remains long-suffering, willing to forgive and restore upon repentance. “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7). Thanks be to God.