Thankful, He sets us free

Psalm 107:10-16.

Can I ever be completely free from bondage? Yes! In today’s passage, the Psalmist points us to the prisoners’ story. Again, we’re meant to hear the prisoners’ story and see a bit of ourselves in them. Further, we are to see God’s wonderful deeds and respond with thankful praise.

So what can I be thankful for from the prisoner’s story? That when we cry out to God in our bondage, He sets us free.

The bondage of the prisoner.

A prisoner’s reality is prison. It’s a cycle of darkness, suffering, iron chains (v10), being trapped in the consequences of actions (v11), and helplessness (v12). This is what prison or bondage looks like; things we find hard to break out of: sin, addictions, bad habits (Gal. 5:19-21, Rom. 6:16-18). Although these are hard for us to break out of, they are not hard for God to break us free. “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still”—Corrie. So the Psalm today shows us that when a prisoner cries out to the Lord, they find freedom in Him.

The freedom of the prisoner.

“…He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains…He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron” (v. 13-14, 16). God does not merely ease our burden; through Christ, He also shatters the strongholds that keep us bound (Jn. 8:36, Gal. 5:1). He sets us permanently free, with a new calling into His wonderful light (1 Pet. 2:9). This is a profound reason to give thanks to God. And also an encouragement that when our reality is like the prisoners’, we have a God who can and will set us free when we cry out to Him.

So what gives us reason to give thanks? Recalling that when we were bound in darkness, God set us free. And still does.

Reflect & Pray

What bondage has God freed you from?
Who might you share your story of freedom with?

Thank You, Father, for breaking the chains of sin and darkness through Jesus. Help me to walk as one truly set free, and share Your freedom with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God bless you exceedingly,
Sam.

“He brought [me] out of darkness and broke away [my] chains.” Ps 107:14.

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