How often do you mess up? I mean, royally fall flat on your face. For me, it was just a few minutes ago. So how do we, royal failures, believe God redeems us, every time?
Life is far from perfect and I mess up and fail God daily. Does that disqualify me from serving Him? Is my salvation in question because I still sin? These are questions many of us wrestled with. Today as we continue learning to be still and know God more, we will see that God redeems us and calls us by name.
Why Does It Matter That God Redeems All Things?
I kid you not that I messed up just a moment ago. Sitting in bed typing this very article I blew off my husband and acted disrespectfully. Selfishness and sin are always lurking at my door. Who else?
God redeems all things, including me and my mess. If He didn’t there would be no hope for any of us to enter the gates of Heaven. The idea of an abundant life would be for the perfect… so… no one.
It matters so much that we serve the God who redeems!
He has always been a redeeming Lord… even for Israel, who continually failed Him.
Israel Knew Captivity
“But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” (Isaiah 43:1 NASB)
The context of Isaiah 43:1 finds Israel in captivity. Hopeless. Living among people whose one desire is to strip away their identity and assimilate them into their own pagan culture.
Sounds like our world today, doesn’t it?
Some things to know about Israel in this season:
- Israel had ignored all God’s loving warnings.
- They were living with real consequences for those sinful choices.
- Their sin did not negate God’s love and promises.
- God didn’t give up on Israel.
- He didn’t move on to another people group despite their sin.
Israel Teaches Us That God Redeems All Things
We learn a beautiful truth about God from the history of Israel. What is God’s, cannot be taken out of God’s hands. What a relief!
This passage is prophetic of a return. It foretells the redemption from the Babylonian captivity. Furthermore, it has reaching implications to Jesus Christ’s coming. It hints at God’s redemption of all those who believe. For that reason, this is my favorite God redeems all things verse in the Bible!
What Does Redemption Mean?
We observe from Isaiah 43:1 that God redeems us all, but what does redemption mean? What does it mean to be redeemed by God?
Have you heard the phrase, “I am redeemed,” before? We have to look at the word redeem in Hebrew to better understand its meaning as Isaiah wrote the word.
What Does Redeemed Mean in Hebrew?
- Ga’al is the Hebrew word for ‘redeem’.
- It means to be purchased, ransomed from slavery
- Ga’al is used over 100 times in the Old Testament (see them all here)
- It means to be purchased, ransomed from slavery
The Israelites had been captive and in slavery many times. The Lord redeemed them, ransomed them, and purchased them back to Himself every single time!
They had a real, literal understanding of what God says about redemption.
Did you find this mid-series? Go back here and read the intro and keep up with the series.
What Does It Mean to Be Redeemed in Today’s Culture?
Redemption is one of those words that loses something in translation over thousands of years.
I am not a slave. I don’t know any slaves.
We are just a hundred years removed from slavery as a common practice. For much of human history, slavery was practiced. If you incurred debt beyond your means, you might sell yourself to repay the debt (for a set amount of time or a lifetime). If a nation invaded another nation, the population might be turned into slaves. In other cultures, people were forced to serve others or sold to serve others without choice.
How does this relate to me in today’s culture?
What is a slave? A person who is forced to obey a master.
What or who do you obey in life?
My mind goes to work and a boss, but they are not a master to me really because I can quit a job. If I have a choice, I am not a slave… right?
Are there people, things, or situations where I can’t walk away; where I have no choice?
A Slave To Sin
If we were being really honest with each other today, we would all say there is something that masters us. Sin.
I have been a slave to sin most of my life. Haven’t you?
There are certain sins that just never leave me alone. When they come calling I struggle not to obey.
- Lust
- Gluttony
- Pride
- Jealousy
- Gossip
I am a slave to sin. Are you?
So I am glad that God redeems all things because I am a slave that needs to be purchased back or redeemed from the master who is cruel and calculating and never lets go. A master who pushes all the right buttons when I am at my lowest… a slave to sin.
God redeems all things, including me and my mess. If He didn't there would be no hope for any of us to enter the gates of Heaven. It matters so much that God is the God who redeems! Share on XHow God Redeems Us?
The good news is that God redeems all things! All things!
- God redeems the time.
- God redeems our mistakes
- Yes, God redeems pain and suffering.
- Praise His name, God redeems our past.
All things that are His can be redeemed. How does God redeem all those things?
You see, God sent His son to pay the price to purchase. His blood was the ransom, that redeemed you from the sins that hold you enslaved.
He paid the price to redeem us all! This is how:
“For God so loved the whole world (every single person who has, is or will ever live) that He sent His Only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish (die and spend eternity in hell as the consequence of sin) but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV (paraphrased))
Related: Here are over 75 I am redeemed Bible verses to help you see it more in-depth!
Looking at the verse today, ‘fear not for I have redeemed you meaning’ we see that we don’t have to fear death or hell because God redeemed us!
But wait, God took it a step further by claiming us and calling us intimately by name!
How Does God Redeem Our Past?
We can apply Isaiah 43:1 in a personal way. He speaks to us personally, reminding us that He was there when we were formed in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139). He knew the mess we would make of life well before we were even born.
Knowing my sin, God stepped out of heaven to make a way for our relationship. He doesn’t hold my sin against me now. He paid the price for that sin and now sees me as His.
My dad used to sing a song that said, “When He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb. He sees me a spotless, not as I am. He clothes me in garments much whiter than the snow. For the Lamb of God is spotless and He loves me, this I know.” I think it says it all!
Your past is covered.
Your sin is forgiven.
We see through the brokenness how God redeems pain and suffering. His body was broken to redeem our past.
Called By Name
God says, “I have called you by name.”
When someone calls me by my name it implies I know them and they know me; we are in a relationship!
God calls you by name. God longs for a real relationship with you where you speak to Him and He speaks to you by name. A loving sign of being redeemed is that you are known, loved, and wanted by your new master.
Doesn’t that make you want to know God more?
Related Post: 7 Powerful Ways to Slow Down Your Quiet Time With God
An Intimate Relationship With God
If we dig further we see some wildly intimate statements from God toward you that prove the true redeemed meaning. Just look deeper at Isaiah 43:1.
“But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”” (Isaiah 43:1 NASB)
- Your Creator.
- Notice how personal that is, not the Creator, but your Creator.
- Who formed you
- He didn’t just set reproduction in order, He personally formed you.
- I have redeemed you
- He redeemed you, not just all mankind, but you specifically.
- I have called you by name
- He called you by name personally.
- We could rephrase that to say, “I have called you by name from the very beginning”.
- You are mine
- He claimed you as His own so personally and intimately.
God is personal and intimate to the point it gives me goosebumps.
Scripture On Redemption
If you are still not convinced of the personal nature of faith in Jesus Christ, I want to challenge you to pause and read some of these Scriptures:
- The Lord loved us first! Romans 5:8
- God says You are my beloved! Deuteronomy 33:12
- God chose You! Colossians 3:12-13
- The Lord takes pleasure in you. Psalm 149:4
- God delights in you. Psalm 18:19
- The Lord blesses you. Deuteronomy 7:9
Related Post: God Loves You- See 50 Bible Verses On God’s Love!
What Can We Do With The God Who Redeems All Things?
You are God’s.
I am God’s.
God redeems us! Great, but what do we do with that? How do we apply this huge overwhelming truth of God’s great love to our very busy and physical lives?
We take this love of redemption at face value and start claiming God’s promises. God is our master, the one who redeemed us from the bondage of sin. That same intimate, personal God is all-powerful. Top that off with the fact that He is for us and has promised us every blessing in the Heavenly places (Ephesians 1:2-4) and we are set for life.
God makes promises to us as His redeemed, literal promises we can hold Him to.
Related Post: The Blessing of Praising God During Difficult Times: Stillness
Literal Promises From God
Because you are God’s, He promises to help you, strengthen you, and protect you in hard times!
We see that in the rest of Isaiah 43. Look at these fantastic promises God makes.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.” (Isaiah 43:2 NASB)
Yes, God knows you by name and makes promises you can claim in real trials!
You Will Pass Through the Waters
Israel would have understood those promises as literal! How astounding is that?!?!?!
Remember how God took the Israelites through the Red Sea? They literally passed through waters and rivers that did not overflow to drown them.
Do you feel like you are drowning in trouble?
The difficult situations you face are not physical seas that stand in your way, but they are just as real. Lean into God and trust Him. Be still, and do not fear because He can protect you from drowning in the waters of life.
We Will Walk Through The Fire
The Israelites would have all heard this verse and remembered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We might call it the story of the Fiery Furnace, but it was not just some story to teach a moral lesson to Israel. This was history! It made the news. This line to Israel was a reminder that obedience to God brings blessing and protection.
Those young men passed through the fire but it didn’t burn them or even leave the smell of fire on them! God was with them in the furnace. God is always with us.
Are you in a difficult season?
You can trust the hand of God to protect you. No, He won’t keep you from the fiery furnace situations in life. He allows hard things in our lives to grow us and teach us. The Lord will be with you through them, however. He will protect you as you walk through the fires of life.
Related Post: 33 Powerful Bible Verses About Confidence
A Prayer To Know that God Redeems You
Father God,
Thank you for calling me by name, for choosing me, for redemption.
Lord, you say to not fear, to not even call to mind the past mistakes. “You will do a new thing,” You promise. Today I surrender to Your plan, Your way, Your time, and trust that even in the fires of this season You are with me.
Forgive me for turning back to sin, even though you have redeemed me. Remind me to turn to You for a way out of the temptation. Help me hear Your voice calling me by name through it all and I will praise Your holy name!
Amen.
How Will You Respond To The God Who Redeems?
God redeems me! Every time I mess up, He is right there with open arms to forgive me and welcome me back. The process is bittersweet. On one hand, I am so thankful for all the times God has forgiven me. On the other hand, I am so angry with myself for falling into temptation again. Anyone else?
God’s grace brings me to my knees. I don’t show that kind of love and forgiveness to others.
Here we see God’s eternal redemption, in that He gave it all to make a way for salvation. In light of that, we must respond. How do we respond to God’s redemption?
Today I will respond by confession. Confession is simply agreeing with God about all the areas I’ve failed Him today.
Today I will accept His grace and forgiveness instead of trying to earn them. At this moment I am reminded to fast and pray over the sin I so easily struggle with.
How will you respond to the God who redeems us?
in HIS love,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
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