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On
Earth...
In
Matt. 6:10, Jesus calls us to pray with words like this: "Thy
kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven." "On
earth..." messages are the reflection of various local writers
sharing common experiences in daily living and then guiding
renewal of the mind and spirit from God's Word. It
is scheduled to appear on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The
Greatest Redemption of All
By Stacey Martin
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[November 28, 2007]
Recently, I underwent a
series of health issues that resulted in a couple of surgeries. As a
result of those surgeries, I had the distinct pleasure of being
completely dependent upon God and my family. The surgery left me
somewhat "stalled" for just enough time to realize what it means
that when I am weak, he is strong. I learned a lot during the weeks
that followed.
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 The New Testament letter from James is one of
my most favorite letters and is highly utilized when I encounter
various trials. Being incapacitated for an extended period of
time was definitely a trial for me. Most of the trials I've
experienced have been somewhat self-induced. I think I can do it
all on my own and the trial begins. When I physically "ran out
of gas" was the point at which I had the opportunity to realize
I am totally dependent upon God for everything.
As I lay in bed, day after day, thinking I would never be the
same again and certain that I wouldn't ever be able to work
again, I felt sorry for myself. I couldn't find the gumption to
get up in the morning.
Finally, the day was coming that I had to go back to work. I
cried the weekend before because I was so tired. I did not
possess the mental capacity to return to work full steam ahead.
Have you ever felt that way? Hopelessness and exhaustion had
driven me to the point of remembering what I needed.
I needed to be redeemed, but I wasn't exactly sure what that
meant and I didn't have an immediate plan to find that
redemption. Webster defines the word redeem as: 1. to buy back,
repurchase; to free from what distresses or harms, as to free
from captivity by payment of ransom; to extricate (remove); to
change for the better; to release from blame or debt; repair,
restore; to make worthwhile; to atone for. You get the picture.
Webster never realized how spiritual his definitions would
become.
An old church song I dearly love goes something like this:
I've been redeemed by the blood of
the Lamb,
Filled with the Holy Ghost I am,
All my sins are washed away,
I've been redeemed.
The devil's mad and I am glad,
The devil's mad and I am… glaaaad,
The devil's mad and I am glad.
Now Satan's mad and I'm so glad,
He lost a soul that he thought he had,
All my sins are washed away,
I've been redeemed.
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 You see, my joy had been stolen and I had to get it back. I
received sound advice from my manager at work before my surgery: "Go
talk with your minister." I didn't take her advice until I was
totally depleted. God gave her the wisdom to recognize what I
needed, yet I waited until I was flat on my face, weak -- if you
will, to realize just how strong my God really is. Equally as
important is my need for him and his strength in my life.
God restores us daily through his word and as he speaks to our
heart. I had been running on fumes at work and home… all because I
wasn't asking for God to grant me a daily dose of his strength. In
addition to speaking daily with God, I wasn't armed with the full
armor of God, described in Ephesians 6:10-17, before I began my
daily routine. I was waiting until the enemy attacked to put on the
armor. That didn't do any good because the darts of the enemy just
kept coming.
God gives us everything we need to be successful in defending our
vital relationship with Christ. The full armor of God is our battle
gear. The conversations we have with God guide our every move in the
daily battle.
God paid the price for my redemption, and yours, when his son
Jesus was crucified for our sins. In him lies the message of hope
and moving forward each day. It is not within us as individuals or
as humans. We cannot purchase redemption, because the price has
already been paid.
I finally ended up going to my church and speaking with my pastor
and the church's administrative assistant. They were the eyes and
hands of God and spoke life into my soul through the words God gave
them and their prayers. I can honestly say I have never felt better
in my life. I have been totally redeemed through the redemptive
power of the cross.
I pray that you seek and find Christ's redemption in your life
and the lives of your family members. We are redeemed by the blood
of the Lamb when we accept salvation through the grace of God.
[Stacey Martin]
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