John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
We serve such a generous and extravagant God. The whole of Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation is all about our Heavenly Father who desires to be in relationship and partnership with his created ones. In his love for us he has given us free will to choose him or not, love him or not, follow him or not. With free will came sin and with sin came slavery and our need for redemption. As we know, Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins so that we could walk in right relationship with God and receive freedom from sin and salvation. He adopted us as sons and daughters and grafted us into his family. Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
That in and of itself is such an extravagant gift. But God doesn’t just save us from sin and a life spent apart from him, he redeems us. The word redeem means the release of people or property from bondage for the payment of a price. It suggests we are being set free from something harmful. God had paid the ransom for our captivity and rescued us from a disastrous situation. But God didn’t simply pay the price to release us from our bondage. He dwells in us and makes sure we are never alone… In anything… Ever. Look how God articulates this promise to Israel, his chosen people, in Isaiah 43:1-3:
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
We too are God’s chosen people. He has created you, he knows you by name, he has called you to Himself, and he promises to be with you and help you through every difficult circumstance you face.
As we begin our fast with hopes of God intervening on behalf of many in miraculous ways, let us begin by meditating on the God who redeems us. Let the magnitude of the gift of salvation and his continual presence sink in deep. Our familiarity with the concept of salvation can sometimes diminish in our minds the true awesomeness of what it is. As you fast, invite God to reveal himself to you afresh. We have the opportunity to empty us of ourselves and allow God to reveal areas of our life where we hold onto the bondage he has freed us from. With that fresh revelation, we can let go of the bondage we have been holding onto and replace it with more of the freedom God designed for us to live in. We are not just saved, we are free, we are restored, made new, and united in relationship with our Divine Creator. We are fully known and fully loved. He is with us in every difficult circumstance, every painful situation, and he promises he will protect us from being overwhelmed or consumed by them. It may not feel like it at the moment, but God delivers on all of his promises. I assure you, you are not the exception to the promise. Let us give thanks and worship God today for his gift of salvation and redemption with his promise to be with us in every situation.
Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, where have I taken for granted the gift of your redemption? Where have I held myself in bondage you died to free me from? I ask for a fresh revelation of your saving grace.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that you are my redeemer. Help me to have a greater understanding of how you have redeemed my life. Give me eyes to see all the ways you are at work in my life, helping to renew me day by day. Thank you that you are always pursuing me, that you are ever present in my life, and that I am united with you for eternity. I praise you for the extravagance of that gift. In response to your great love for me, help me to live my life in a manner that is pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Resources: Bible verses on God’s Redemption
Ephesians 1:7-10
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
Colossians 1:13-14, 30
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.