MY REDEEMER LIVES!

One of the abilities God has given us is the capacity to make a determination whether something is good or bad. It is connected, in some way, to the knowledge of good and evil which Adam and Eve gained following the first sin (Genesis 2:9, 17; 3:5, 22). Of course, having the capacity isn’t the same thing as consistently and correctly applying this knowledge. So many times in my life I have had an encounter or experience which I quickly determined was good or bad, only to find out later I had rushed to judgment. Sometimes we do this in connection to the people in our lives. We may do this when we receive news of something which is important to us. We may do this when faced with making a major decision. In our rush to judgment we may have labeled something as “good”, only to later receive additional information or insight which is not so good. Or we may label something as “bad”, only to discover it’s actually for the best. This has happened to me often enough that it causes me to be very careful in drawing conclusions too quickly as to whether something is good or bad. 

I am humbled by the fact that my perspective of things is so very limited. I know what I know, but there is so much more that I don’t know. I see what I see, but there is so much more that I don’t see. On a good day on the golf course I can see my golf ball up to about 250 yards. That’s assuming I’ve kept in the short grass and not launched it into the woods or a water hazard. I am bringing up golf because today is the first day of Spring, and to make the point that while I can see 750 feet on a good day, God’s ability to see is unlimited. Too bad He doesn’t look for lost golf balls, but I digress. The Prophet Isaiah communicated this description of God’s abilities, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. 9‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV)

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you’re aware my Wednesday night small group is studying the Book of Job. One of the things we’ve learned from Job is that nothing in our lives can be evaluated except in the context of eternity. I love the statement Job makes in 19:25 (NIV): “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.” Any time the Bible reminds me of God our Redeemer, I love it! The word, REDEEM, means: RESCUE, RESTORE, REPAY, RANSOM and REVENGE. I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of things in my life I am trusting my Redeemer is going to redeem.

If you’ve recently received news which seems bad (from your place of limited sight), remind yourself that your Redeemer lives. God has a track record of taking evil and turning it for the good in the lives of His children. So even if you’re correct in your determination something is bad, God can still turn it around. MY REDEEMER LIVES!

Two additional references to check out:

Genesis 50:1-21 ~ The Story of Joseph

20“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (NIV)

Joel 2:25-27 NIV "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-- my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. 27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.