Being that other day was valentines day, I feel like this post will be quite appropriate.I’ve also been thinking about writing about this for a couple of weeks now.
So many of us single guys and gals can get so caught up in this time of year in not having that special somebody to spoil or be with. I’ll be the first to admit that those thoughts have came across my mind. We so quickly want a love from this earth to fulfill our hearts when there is a love from God that no person could ever come close to.
…Redeemed…
What does it mean to be redeemed?
“The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.”
~C.H. Spurgeon~
When I looked up the definition most dictionaries stated that it had to do with a payment that was cleared by a price. Thought that was pretty cool considering that we have been redeemed by God Himself.
I’ve had the opportunity to ponder this thought a lot lately. Being that I haven’t really moved away from my own bed, having been sick… It’s been a good reminder that He loves me. To sit back and just think that God loves me so much that he came to redeem me.
“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.”
~Ephesians 1:7~
I’ve really enjoyed looking at this verse, even now when I am writing this. A key word that really sticks out to me is not only redemption but also LAVISHED. God has LAVISHED His love upon us. What an amazing thought.
LAVISHED!
I don’t know about you but I absolutely love the thought that God lavishes his love and grace upon us.
“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
~Titus 2:13-14~
There is so much in those two verses. The phrase that really sticks out to me in these verses is “who gave himself for us”. It wasn’t a half-heart gift that God gave us, it was all of Him. My mind can’t even comprehend this kind of love. It completely blows me away. This whole concept that He came to this earth to give himself up for us.
“even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to sever,
and to give his life as a ransom for many”
~Matthew 20:28~
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all,
which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
~ 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Honestly, it’s amazing how much we forget the love of God, and what Christ has done for us. So often, our minds wander to the things of this world and what we desire for ourselves. One verse that meant a lot to me these past few months is Psalms 37:4.
“Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
~Psalms 37:4
This verse implies that if you are walking and delighting yourself in the Lord that the things that you desire will be what God wants you to have. Now for most people they see this verse toward that special person that means a lot to you, but it could also mean that job or that place you want to move to. If we keep this kind of love and desire that God has designed and has for us on our center focus, I do believe that he will provide with these desires in our hearts. We so quickly get discouraged as young adults that we don’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend, and we think that no one could love us. (Been there thought that.) However, we have this love that is burning inside of us. I kind of love that was bought with a price.
This Love is JESUS!
Let us never forget that we have this love from God that overflows into us. There are times that I get so in love with God that I just start to sing as loud as I can. That same kind of feeling that you get when you are around that person that makes your heart skip a beat and you just want to jump for joy because you were able to talk with each other. Yeah, it’s one of the most amazing emotions that I have ever felt, and only God can truly fill that emotion.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.”
~Psalms 107:1-2
You see on facebook all the time, when someone gets in a relationship it’s posted all over the place. People are excited for them and they write messages back and forth to each other so that everyone can see that they love each other. (Personally I think it’s the worst place to put that information) Nonetheless they are publicly proclaiming that they love that person. I know personally, that when I am in a relationship I want people to know that I love her. (Not through facebook)
In the same way we need to publicly proclaim that we have this love in Jesus. That God has redeemed us!!!! My heart skips for joy knowing that I have this love within me. That I don’t have to wait to get married to feel this kind of love. We already have it through Christ. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! Let’s keep that in mind each day and I know for a fact that life will get so much more exciting. (It needs constant reminder.)
Spiritual Followings 