It is a special treat to have my friend Kris guest post today. Kris is a kind and compassionate woman who often serves behind-the-scenes. She is a empathetic listener and supportive friend. She is a blessing and I trust you will be blessed by her thoughtful words and powerful reflections here.

Kris is wife to Ron and mother to Daniel, Emily, Elizabeth and Amy. She has been homeschooling her kiddos since they were old enough to learn. Kris’ oldest left the nest this fall
for college, but their youngest is just finishing up first grade, so she is in this for the long haul! Kris loves quiet mornings with plenty of
strong coffee and her Bible, reading, nature, and spending time with her
family, friends, and church family. She does not have a blog….yet.

“Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindess,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!” 
Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31

I stumbled upon these words one morning; sipping coffee to clear my foggy brain, praying that the Word would penetrate, would speak life. That phrase caught my eye as it cycled through Psalm 107. Over and over it swung back to the page. Then other words, other phrases, repeated, pleaded for my attention. 

I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, I thought repetition in the Bible was boring. But as I parent, I find that I repeat myself a lot, especially when I have something important to say. I learned in a Bible study that our Heavenly Father does the same. So in that moment, I trusted my God had something important to say. 

Before I share what He showed me, let me say that I hope you read Psalm 107 for yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you as well. 

 
Psalm 107 is about a redeemed people – people rescued from a dangerous enemy – people with stories to tell, praises to sing, thanks to proclaim! But before they became that redeemed lot, they began as a much different one: lost, humbled, broken – like each one of us, really, before we were plucked from the hand of our foe.

Four groups of people are described, gathered from the four corners of the world. From everywhere. 

The first group were wandering in a desert; their supplies had run out and they had no place to call home, nowhere to put down roots, no community in which to belong.
 
The second people described were a defiant bunch, and in their rebellion found themselves fettered by bars of iron, held in deep darkness.
 
The third were a collection of fools, pitiful souls suffering significantly in body as a result of their poor choices. 
 
The fourth were sailors –men just going about their work. Why sailors? At first glance, their trouble isn’t obvious. Perhaps they were overly confident in themselves? But Scripture makes it clear they weren’t when facing a raging storm!
 
Four groups of desperate people in different scrapes – yet, I think, with some commonalities: whether willfully or not, each group was trying to do this life apart from God. And it didn’t work. Once they were completely aware of their complete lack, they cried out to Him. They couldn’t perform great acts to earn God’s favor or gain His attention. They were at their wit’s end, with nothing left but to cry out to their Maker. 

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He delivered them out of their distresses.” 
Psalm 107:6

Four people. Four times. EACH cry was heard, and in EACH instance, deliverance was executed through a dramatic rescue by our unchanging, unchangeable God. He was MERCIFUL. He was the ONLY Savior. He came in breathtaking power – in acts of wonder – in lovingkindness (which is mentioned six times in Psalm 107, so it must be important!). 

The Hero of His errant people. 

He tenderly directed the lost to a city where they could dwell and satisfied their hunger and thirst.

He broke the bonds of the rebellious ones, releasing them from their captivity, leading them into the light.

He SPOKE a word, and the sick were healed.

The Hebrew language tells us those sailors found their wisdom literally “swallowed up” when they witnessed the Almighty’s power demonstrated on the high seas. And what did He do when they called to Him? He silenced the storm to a whisper, and led them to “their desired haven.”

What did He want from these people He had preserved? What does He want from me? From you?  

The Psalm opens with a charge to the Redeemed to “say so.” We are to tell our stories of redemption. What has He rescued you from? What wonders has He performed in my life? Just like those in Psalm 107, we are participants of the divine pattern: we cry out, He delivers. We can do nothing to save ourselves. He cannot help but be merciful. He will hear – does hear – and answers our cry.

Has He led you out of a wilderness? Smashed the chains that bound you? Spoken a word that healed you? Hushed the storms in your life? Do you recognize your story of rescue in His Story?
 
As His beloved, redeemed people, we are to remember His rescue. We are to tell those stories of His saving. We are to praise Him. Praise in this context is translated a “ringing cry.” I want my life to be a ringing cry – pointing to the One who has rescued me. 

Let’s “say so” together!

With Praise,
Kris

Deep Breaths:

1. Reread Psalm 107 and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate a scripture for you to focus on and memorize.

2. Spend some time reflecting on one or more of the following questions in your journal, or  with a close friend or family member.

In what ways has He led
you out of a wilderness? 
How has He smashed the chains that bound you?
What were the circumstances surrounding Him speaking a
word that healed you?
How has He hushed the storms in your life? 
Do you recognize
your story of rescue in His Story?

3. If this post doesn’t preach to you, I’m not sure what will! Wow, what a call to testify to God’s redemption in our lives. I feel like we could camp out here for awhile. Let’s “say so” today all over social media. Just hashtag #sayso and give God praise for a specific way He has redeemed or rescued you. Let’s give Him praise and glory all over this place!