Redeemed

It seems like for the past two years that God has been so far away. Occasionally I would catch glimpses of Him and see that indeed He was working in my life, but those were rare and far between. Every morning I would wake up and pray and read my Bible but there was nothing but emptiness. Sabbaths, well I realized what they were but in reality I wasn't keeping them in my heart. They had just become a sort of lazy day. Although I rested from searching for a job and such things in my mind the day ceased to be special. It was a couple Sabbath's ago that I began to realize my condition and that I was not following God wholeheartedly. My eyes were finally opened and I had taken steps down a slippery slope to bring me to a place I never meant to be; far away from God.

This morning when I awoke I saw how empty I really was. I was looking to fill that void with selfish things. I was searching for happiness but everything around me was destroying me because I wasn't seeking to put God first. I opened my heart to God this morning and told Him everything. I want to walk with God and surrender to His will. I'm tired of pulling and pulling to get my own way I really want to let God lead. I asked Him where I should read and immediately Isaiah 43 popped into my head.

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.      Isaiah 43:1

As I read verse 1 I wondered, "what does redeemed mean?" So looking it up in Strong's I found that it means to buy back, next kinsman, avenger, and to ransom. What stood out to me was that it means the next kinsman. I think of a Kinsman redeemer and I think of Boaz and Ruth. Boaz not only bought the property belonging to Naomi and Ruth but he bought Ruth and he married her. It was more that just the purchasing but it was an act of love because it consummated in a marriage. That is really what God is seeking for us. Not only did He buy us at the cross but He wants to spend eternity with us. We are looking forward to the marriage supper of the lamb. I am amazed that this is how much God loves us.

Then looking up every word in Strong's this verse just opened up to me in a way that it never had before. First this from God; at the beginning of the verse it says, "thus saith the Lord." Who is " the Lord?" According to Strong's the Hebrew word for Lord in this verse refers to God being Eternal. So the next part of the verse refers to God being the creator. So far the verse could be, "thus saith the eternal one the creator." In referencing God being the creator we can think of Him creating nature and mankind. Here the verse is pointing out that God created Jacob; God you and me. Then the verse says that He formed Israel. The word formed can be thought of as molding or shaping such as a potter shapes clay. I didn't get this right away but a little later as I was thinking about the verse I noticed the switch from Jacob to Israel. Jacob means supplanter; according to Webster's dictionary supplanter means to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery. Israel on the other other hand means God strives. First God creates us but we don't follow God. We are sinful and want to follow our own inclinations. Then when God redeems us He molds us so that we are changed from Jacob, trying to control our own lives , to Israel, allowing God to be first in our lives. 

We have no reason to fear because God has given His son for us. He wants to sanctify us. To take us from Jacob to Israel. He wants to take us from living for ourselves to living for Him. Not only that but He has called us by name. Each one of us He desires to be with Him. Each one of us He wants to redeem.