He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Psalm 107:15-21

15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.



Today’s title is “Rescue Us From The Grave”

We are often exhilarated at the fall of the bad people. Some people are so foolishly stubborn. Many people tell them to avoid such a foolish and evil way, But they don’t listen. They even persecute those who earnestly tell them the truth and better ways. We get angry at them. We feel somewhat vindicated when they eventually fall. If they suffer for their follies and stubbornness, we feel that justice has been done. But what would you feel if those foolish and stubborn people are none other than ourselves or our beloved ones? As a matter of fact, most of us were exactly like those foolish and stubborn people at one time or another. We all fell a big time. That’s why we are all so moved by the stories of the prodigal son. That’s why we are all so touched by the love of Jesus who called Saul who persecuted the body of Christ on the road to Damascus and turned him into Paul. That’s really some rescue story. Today’s passage tells us gracious rescue stories that all those who were once so foolish and stubborn sinners can relate to. “Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.” Do not the people that are described here look familiar to you? I certainly can see myself in the pictures. I was so foolishly rebellious against God that I pushed myself to the brink of total destruction not once but multiple times. Then what happened? “ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.” God broke down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron to free us. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” Oh, how true this was for me! This was exactly what I went through. Many times in my life I felt hopeless. How about you? I am sure that many of you have similar rescue stories. That’s who we are. Thar’s who our God is. So what do we do? This psalm has the answer. “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” That’s exactly what we will do. Won’t we?