GodReflection: Power Word Wednesday

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from his German Tegel Prison cell wrote in his essay God Is On The Cross –We must learn God’s language, laboriously learn it. And we must work at it, so that we will be able to talk with him.

Redeemed is straight from God’s vocabulary. I must struggle to understand its depth. I wish I could understand the full impact of the Creator’s word.

I use a cheapened form of the word redeem when I speak of the redemption of airline miles and gasoline award points. I receive an earned gift when I do my part in these redemption programs.

The merchants redeem the points they issued to me because I purchased their products and registered for their program. It is a two-way transaction. I earned and they give.

There is nothing I can to merit God’s gift. Redemption in its deepest significance can only come from God. It’s a one-way transaction. I can’t buy it. I can’t trade for it. It is God’s freewill gift.

Redeemed finds its fullest meaning in God. It is a deep word covered in love and compassion. It is costly but free. It is a grand word in God’s language. Redeemed emerges from the Holy. Its meaning in any context apart from God is so inferior that it breaks kinship with God’s usage.

I catch a glimpse of the power of redemption when I read the apostle Paul:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace . . . all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus . . . in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I sing aloud the bass notes in Zechariah’s song as he realized the implication of the preparatory role of his son John, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.”

The awe of redeemed is that God stamps the word on me. That seal came at the cost of God’s sacrifice of His Son on a cross. It was the most costly of all gifts. His gift provided me with lifeblood that redeems every wrong act I commit.

Only God could give the cross gift. Only God gives redemption.

To receive the redeemed imprint from God is the richest gift I can receive.

I treat precious gifts with care. When I receive a gift of value from my wife, my children, and other deep friendships, I don’t need a set of rules to assure my appropriate treatment of the gift.

Because I recognize its value and the heart of the giver, the gift will receive proper care.

So it is with the gift of redemption. By it God declares me vindicated, clean, and perfect before Him.

Redeemed is a gift I don’t want to treat with disdain.

Redeemed is rich. I must do a better job to reflect its meaning by word and example with all those whom I come into contact.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on Providence as a Power Word.

Gary@Godreflection.org     www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com