August 25, 2012

“Living Redeemer”

Scripture:

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! (Job 19:25-27) NLT

Observation:

I believe one of the most important questions that all Christians should ask themselves is this: If your life circumstances were that of Job’s—where you lost your family, your home, your health and all that you had, would you, too, stand strong in our faith that God is truly God? Could you still love and honor Him, or would you hate and turn against Him?

Application:

I’m not trying to diminish anyone’s difficult circumstances or am I implying that God intentionally causes us great grief, but just as Job was singled out by God to get His point across, we, too, may find ourselves singled out by God and thrown into circumstances that we don’t understand—trials that will test our faith—trials that bring us down. This short and difficult life has its ways of making us feel like we have personally been singled out and oppressed, causing us to doubt God and this life. We, for the moment, must live in a world cursed with sin and ruled by the powers of darkness—those unseen enemies who hold the powers of fear and death, (Ephesians 6:12), and hate the God of the Bible. And until Jesus returns to set up His earthly Kingdom, living on this earth will continue to decay morally and get even more difficult and dangerous to live in. No one will be immune. And yes, all living things will suffer. But, there is Hope—Hope for the world, for we have a Redeemer, my friends, we have Christ Jesus—God in the flesh—the Living God who physically lived as a man, untarnished by sin, and became the Perfect Sacrificial Lamb who redeemed all of mankind (Isaiah 53:6). Unlike Job, we know that God walked upon the earth bringing us hope in salvation. And we know that no matter how we suffer or how difficult this life becomes, we will live on to see God Face to face. Focusing on this incredible promise will always give you peace in your trials and the strength to faithfully carry on—taking on each difficult circumstance and trusting God’s Power with each one (Ephesians 6:10). Without the blessed Hope that God has given us in the resurrection of His Son, this life is meaningless. Without God’s Guiding Light, we live groping in darkness in a desperate search for truth. In all circumstances, if you have faith in your Redeemer, you have it all. For when you doubt (and you will), you can take the Hand of Living God and walk in His Presence, and by focusing on the Author and the Finisher of Life, you will experience the joy and freedom of knowing that our Redeemer lives!

Prayer:

Thank You, dear Lord, for taking my pain and suffering, and for giving me new life. How I look forward to that day when I will see You Face to face. Until then you will continue to live in my heart doing what only You are able to do. Amen