Redeeming Love

Redeeming Love
Psalm 116.1-9
1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD : "O LORD, save me!" 5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. 7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. 8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

How great is God's redeeming love! As Christ's followers, we have been redeemed by Jesus from sin and will now inherit eternal life. But this is something we do not often enough stop and consider. God has redeemed us, beloved, from sin and from our struggles each day. The Psalmist so well emphasizes the redemption of the Lord in Psalm 116. I encourage you to read the entire chapter to see a wonderful testament to the Lord's redeeming love.

What does redeeming love look like? The Psalmist says that the Lord "heard [his] voice" and his "cry for mercy." The Lord "turned his ear to [him]." The first thing we notice about redeeming love is that involves a person in desperate need for deliverance. The Psalmist was certainly in need, for "the cords of death entangled [him], the anguish of the grave came upon [him]" and he "was overcome by trouble and sorrow." I'm sure we've all experienced trouble and sorrow. We have all been so disheartened and so depressed that we felt as if our world were collapsing on us.

What are we to do in such situations? We do as the Psalmist does: we "[call] on the name of the LORD." When we are in trouble, beloved, we are to call on Jesus' name. Whether that be spiritual temptation, the trials of life, or physical or emotional ailments, we know that we can call upon the Lord for His redeeming love. We should shout "O LORD, save me!"

And what is the response? It is the response of a wonderful God--redemption. The Lord "[hears] our voice" and our "cry for mercy." He "[turns] his ear to [us]." Stop and consider this, beloved. The God of the universe--the powerful Creator of the universe and the stars and the molecules and the intricate structures that make up your body--is listening to YOU! And He is holding out His hand, waiting to redeem you from whatever it is in your life that needs redeeming. It is salvation for the sinner, hope for the hopeless, love for the loveless, and stability for the broken. By Him we can "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you." By Him we have hope and redemption!

I pray that you will find redemption today. Turn to the Lord, beloved, and allow Him to fill your life with joy and purpose. Don't make yourself miserable by attempting to solve problems on your own--turn to the Lord for His mighty, redeeming hand and his mighty, redeeming love! Amen!

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich