Let the Redeemed of the Lord Tell Their Story

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

-Psalm 107:1-3 (NIV)

As many of you know, I (Pastor Justin) am a Deitrich Bonhoeffer fan. Recently, I’ve begun the journey of rereading some of his works. A few days ago I began working my way through the collection of his correspondence with friends and family while he was in prison (Letters and Papers from Prison). The book begins with an essay he wrote entitled “After Ten Years.” In the essay as well as his many other writings, Bonhoeffer speaks to the need for Christians to engage in “responsible action.” In fact, this idea of responsible action is central to Bonhoeffer’s view of Christian ethics in God’s Kingdom.

Psalm 107 is a psalm of thanksgiving. Specifically, it calls the people of God to give thanks for God’s goodness and love. The psalmist commands, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” In other words, we are encouraged to respond to God’s goodness not just by saying, “thank you” in prayer and song, but by telling our story.

During this season of Advent we wait in holy anticipation for the coming of the Christ-child. We will sing familiar carols, read of Mary and Joseph, of angels and shepherds, and proclaim that mysterious and extraordinary truth, that Jesus is “Immanuel, God with us” (Mt 1:23).

Yes, during Advent we wait. But in our waiting, we also are called to consider: If God is indeed drawing near, what are we called to do? If God is drawing near, what responsible action are we to take up? If God is drawing near, what stories are the “redeemed of the Lord” called to offer to a hurting and broken world that will help draw it nearer to the heart of God?

As we consider some of these questions throughout our time together this Advent season, my prayer is that we will continue to take hope in the message of Christmas, “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). And that we can turn our message of hope, peace, joy, and love that we proclaim every Advent into responsible action so that all creation might join the chorus of the song of the redeemed.

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