Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
How many biblical pit-dwellers can you name? Three names come to mind immediately: Joseph, Jonah, and Daniel. Joseph was thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery. Later, Joseph was brought up from a prison pit and, by God’s grace, raised to be a ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. The prophet Jonah, in his futile effort to escape from the Lord, cried out for mercy from a different pit, the belly of a great fish. Rescued by God, Jonah called the people of Nineveh to repentance. Faithful Daniel spent the night in a pit of lions. After seeing that Daniel’s God saved his servant from certain death, the king brought Daniel out of the pit and praised the God of Israel. God lifted these saints out of deep places and sent them out into the world as His faithful servants.
The psalm-writer names this experience of crying out to God from the pit of death in Psalm 30:1-3 (NRSVUE):
I will extol You, O LORD, for You have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You have healed me. O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
With the psalm-writer, Joseph, Jonah, and Daniel all point to the One who went down to the pit of death for us, Jesus Christ. Jesus rose up in victory over death, and He gives that victory to us. In the water and Word of Baptism, we go down into death with Jesus. We are buried with Him, to be raised in Him to new life. Through faith in Jesus, God forgives and restores us and sends us into the world as His faithful servants. We rejoice that Jesus rescues us from the pit of death to live in His presence forever.
Listen: I’m So Glad Jesus Lifted Me (sung by Southwood Children’s Choir & Mike Mennard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcuVaqIvPog
Question for Reflection:
- In what ways has God lifted you from the pit and made you His faithful servant?
Prayer:
Jesus, You raised me up and restored me to life. Send me out to serve others in Your Name. Amen.
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