Redemption

Since I'm on an updating streak today, it's only natural to update here as well...

As I went to have my quiet time tonight, the word redemption kept going through my mind. I've watched some issues and ugliness come up recently, to which, there is no worldly hope. Thankfully, I have a God who is stronger than a hopeless situation.

Redemption brings hope. We have hope because of redemption. I decided to do a quick topic study on remdemption, it took me all over and ofcourse gave me periphreals (I know I spelled this wrong, but I don't feel like spell checking) all over.

dictionary.com defines is as (bolding is mine):
1. an act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed.
2. deliverance; rescue.
3. Theology. deliverance from sin; salvation.
4. atonement for guilt.
5. repurchase, as of something sold.
6. paying off, as of a mortgage, bond, or note.
7. recovery by payment, as of something pledged.
8. conversion of paper money into specie.

One of the synonyms listed for it is freedom. I like that. Or, justification and purification. I honestly hadn't put that into context until just now.

The first passage I went to was Psalm 65:6-7
6 who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

At first, I wasn't sure why it came up for redemption. So, I glanced down at the study notes (which I've stopped doing most of the time). The commentary referenced God restoring peace from turmoil. Uhm, yeah. I get that. We have a God of order. Chaos and turmoil aren't his. Check out the passage in The Message:
2-8 We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt, Our sins too much for us— but you get rid of them once and for all. Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things in your house, your heavenly manse. All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot— Far and wide they'll come to a stop, they'll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship."

Next reference was Romans 3:24. I'll paste in 3:23 as well...
Romans 3:23-24
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

or, Message:
21-24But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

I really like how The Message expanded it. I have such a long and sorry record. Restoration.

Next,
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

I added 16 in. It hit me, right, smack in the forehead. It was the term "worldly point of view." IMO, the worldly view cares not about their eternity and often times lacks grace- something I've been freely given.

Message:
16-20Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

Ofcourse, more meaning comes...I feel like the study tonight was personalized by God for me. I'm blessed to be met this way. Anyway...I italics the part that stood out so very much. I honestly don't know off the top of my head of any relationships I need to settle. But I do know I was given this passage for a reason.

I went on to Philippians. The verse I was sent for wasn't what popped out. What popped off the page was Philippians 1:9:
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

I had earlier highlighted the summary note- "Real love requires growth and maturation." I'm pretty sure I overuse the word love.

Message:
9-11So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

Again, WOW!

Oddly, tonight, I used the last page in my notebook. I have more I could write, but, this is probably enough of an entry for now. We'll see what other thoughts God brings to me.