A city where I can settle

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. - verses 6 & 7

I love it when God makes a great rescue. When all seems hopeless and like the villain is going to win, in steps Jesus to save the day and "bind up the brokenhearted". During the reign of King Jehoiakim, the Babylonian empire invaded Judah, God's holy land. King Nebuchadnezzar (affectionately known as King Nebby) was exalted and took the Jews hostage, bringing them into captivity. Almost overnight, these poor families were suddenly prisoners, some of them in a new land. They were beaten on, starved, degraded, and abused.

But you see, the awesome thing about God though, is that He "will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance." God promised the Israelites long ago that he would always bring them back, even from the most distant lands. He promised to never leave nor forsake them. The amazing thing is that God never goes back on these promises, and they transcend generations.

The Jews held captive in Babylon began their prayer with a reflection of praise and worship. They then moved right into communicating to God exactly what was hurting them and remembered how He had redeemed them so many times before. They held onto their faith of the past, and never gave up hope that their Maker would come back once more to save them. Even in the midst of captivity, they thanked God for all He had done, and for that which was coming. They cried out, despite their iniquities, approaching the throne with reverence, fear, and faith. It was then that God rescued them from their deepest gloom, their mire, and their prison. It was then, only after they had acknowledged the power of God and put all their trust in Him that He broke away their chains and brought them to a city where they could settle - a place where they could rest their heads and find peace.

As for me, in quietness and trust is my strength. I too, will only be rescued through repentance and rest. The funny thing is though, that God asks for us rest before we are even healed and brought into the place were we think we should be. It makes me want to say, with my finger on the poorly drawn map that I've crafted for my own life, "Umm, God, come on now. I can't relax when I'm surrounded by this and this! If you'll just bring me here, then I can rest. Then I'll be okay. Then I can keep my head above water, and everything will be good." But (thankfully), that's not how it works. The great thing is that God is working on my team. He has plans for me that are greater than anything I can scheme up, that all work for the greater good of His Kingdom. When He asks me to rest, He's asking me to trust in Him. He's asking me to bring my matters to the table and know I am heard. He's asking me to rest in Him, knowing that it will all be taken care of accordingly. I too, will find a city where I can settle and be free.