Redemption

      It is a sunny April morning.  I am sitting at my computer looking out the window watching squirrels jump from the tree to the fence.  I am watching birds build nests and take care of the babies in them,  This time of year is always so wonderful to me.  Spring is when everything comes back to the green and living.  Its wonderful to watch.  The tulips pushing out of the ground and reaching for the sun.  It makes me think of my life. 

      As the fall season makes me think of all the bad things in my life that needed to die away, the spring makes me very aware of the grace given me in the redemption of my life.  I was talking to a friend at church this week, and it seems at times, I still lose sight of the fact that my life has been and will continue to be redeemed!  Redeemed means, bought back, won, freed from what distressed or harmed, freed from captivity, and even Miriam-Webster got it right with, FREED FROM CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.  I was talking to my friend about knowing that I have to deal with the consequences of my actions, and that even though I know I sinned and I know that I'm forgiven, there are still things in my life that I am dealing with that are directly correlated to the actions and decisions I made years ago.  He told me, " you know God can and will redeem all of that."

      Wow!  He is literally taking the ugly pictures I painted and turning them into His artwork.  Job 19:25a And as for me, I know that my redeemer lives...  Looking at my life, it is very apparent.  Even though I am dealing with things in my life that are hard, my God will take that and turn it into good.  My daughters love the Lord. Redemption.  I am being used by God in ways I never thought possible.  Redemption.  I have been blessed with a loving, supporting, husband.  Redemption.  The list goes on and on.  Thank God, I have been redeemed!