Day 2 – I am Redeemed

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling” (Ex. 15:13).

            Often times our language and jargon as followers of Christ loses even the hungriest people. “Redeemed” is a hard word to introduce. It is not a religious word or even a Christian word. But it is necessary for us to grasp in order to change our culture and experience transformation. If I were to explain the word “redeemed” to my little kids, I would explain it as simply as possible. I would tell them that it means to buy something back so that you would own it a second time.

            When I was a little boy in the 1970s, times were comparatively tough financially. My granddad was a hard working man and I think he felt guilty if he wasn’t working extra hard and long. In north Los Angeles Co., California where I grew up, the races, roller skating and bowling were a big deal in our community. As a little kid I would get up at 5 AM to go “dumpster diving” before school with my granddad to gather bottles, cans and cardboard. We sold the cans and cardboard to a recycler. We would take the bottles to the grocery store for redemption. The grocery store had to pay a fee to pay for all the bottles from the bottling company. Then, they had to buy them back from the customers for a fee as well. Then, the bottling company would buy them back from the grocery store. So we would go to the races, skating, bowling, etc., by gathering bottles for redemption.

The whole point is this. I learned at an early age that the grocery store had to buy each bottle twice. The bottles were “redeemed” or bought back and owned a second time. The Bible says, "The Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt” (Duet. 7:8).

            God created us and made us for fellowship with Him, but sin separated us from friendship with God. Christ was the price to buy us back. God redeemed us with the blood of His Son. He owns us a second time. The bible says, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you" (Is 44:22).

            One of the greatest stories of redemption is found in the story of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet to God’s people in Israel. His passion was for holiness. He longed for the holiness of God’s people. In ancient times, a man had to give a significant gift to the parents of the lady he chose to marry. Hosea more than likely gave gifts to the parents of his future bride. This bride left him for the world.

God had Hosea marry a lady who left him. She was lost in the world and became a prostitute. She was in a mess and owed serious debt. She was being sold at the slave auction. In those days, slaves were sold in the city center. God told Hosea to go buy his wife back. He redeemed her. That is real love. The Bible says, “They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted” (Is 62:12).

            Think about paying for something in order to own it a second time. The story of Hosea buying a prostitute slave is an example of how much God loves us and how He sent his son to the city center to be the slave on the whipping post for us. He bought us back. He redeemed us so that we could sing with the song writer, “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I, whom you have redeemed“(Ps 71:23).

Meditate for five minutes on this lesson.

Journal one whole page.  Share an encouraging thought on Twitter or Facebook. Less is better.

Pray this Prayer: Father, thank You for redeeming me. Help me live in the truth that You made me free from all shame and paid an amazing price for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!