Shepherd's Corner (October 15, 2025)

Shepherd's Corner (10-15-25)Brian Lee

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The Return of the Hostages

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)

The world has watched with relief and tears as all of the remaining Israeli hostages have finally returned home. For the families who waited in anguish, this is a moment of profound joy mingled with grief. And for us as followers of Jesus Christ, this moment invites reflection. How do we see such events through the eyes of faith rather than fear or politics?

Our first response should be empathy. Scripture reminds us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). These hostages and their families have endured unspeakable trauma. Let us pray for both Israelis and Palestinians, knowing that true peace is never achieved in a day.

At the same time, we should guard our hearts against turning empathy into tribalism. The gospel does not divide the world into “good people” and “bad people.” All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jesus even calls his followers to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). When we look at the Middle East, or any war-torn place, we remember that every person is made in God’s image. “God made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26).

As we rejoice at the return of the hostages, we also grieve for the civilians in Gaza who have suffered under Hamas’ tyranny and in the long shadow of this two-year war. They, too, bear the image of God and deserve compassion and justice. We pray that God would be merciful to those who mourn.

We also give thanks to God, recognizing his mysterious hand at work even when we cannot understand all that unfolds. The Bible is filled with stories of deliverance. Joseph was raised from the pit, Israel was led out of Egypt, and Peter was released from prison. Yet Scripture teaches that God’s timing is not ours. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). Our gratitude is mixed with humility. We worship not because we comprehend everything but because we trust the character of the One who rules history with justice and mercy.

Above all, moments like this call us to renewed prayer. Even as we pray for earthly peace, we recall a deeper truth. Every hostage story points to humanity’s greater captivity, the bondage of sin and death. Christ came to set us free. Christ said,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind” (Luke 4:18).

The joy of reunion we witness on earth foreshadows the greater joy of redemption when all who trust in Christ will be gathered home.

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Let us not watch this news as detached spectators. Let it stir in us a deeper longing for the day when all wars will cease, captives will be no more, and the Lamb who was slain will reign in perfect peace.

“He will judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:4).

Until that day, let us continue to live as ambassadors of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. May the God of all compassion steady our hearts in these uncertain times. And may the peace of Christ, who said, “I have come to set the captives free,” rule in our hearts as we await his kingdom that knows no end.

In His Grace Alone,

Pastor Brian Lee