Hi how are you all today? I am well. I am looking forward to my holiday at the end of this week. My last one was cancelled just a few weeks ago due to the cyclone. Have you ever looked forward to something and then it was cancelled? It is not a nice feeling and can leave you feeling disorientated for a while.
In this post I want to talk about redemption. Redemption in the Oxford dictionary means the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. I don’t want to look at this word from a salvation viewpoint but a second coming of Jesus viewpoint.
Most Christians like being saved by God from sin because of what Jesus did on the cross. But my question is- are we looking forward to being saved from evil? This world is an evil place. We just need to read a few news articles a day to see this. My question is – are we comfortable on earth or do we have our sights set somewhere else?
In Luke 21, there is a story of how people were standing around admiring the beauty of the temple. Then Jesus told them that one day it would be gone. They then questioned him on the end times of the age. Jesus spoke about a lot of things we see happening today and then He makes this statement in verse 27 and 28 in the Message Bible:
27-28 “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”
The second part of this verse in other translations state: look up for your redemption is near.
Can we see the heart of Jesus in this verse? He has told us of the troubles that would come to this earth and instead of leaving us stranded, He offers us hope- stand up, don’t be discouraged, help us on its way.
Too often we get discouraged by the things happening around us and don’t remember that not only does Jesus save us from our sins, He has a plan to remove us from this evil world. What a glorious day that will be.
So where are you looking? Around or up.
Just one more story and this is regarding Abraham. We probably all have desired to have the amazing faith he had and walk in it. But there is a part of Hebrews 11 that tells us where his real focus was. It was not on his natural surroundings and circumstances but he had a vision beyond.
Hebrews 11: 8 to 10 in the Message Bible states:
8-10 By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.
We read the story of Abraham and how he just packed all his things, took his family and set out for an unknown place. That would be hard. Imagine God telling you to pack your car, put your things in storage, sell your house, leave your job and then put your family in the car and drive until God tells you to stop. This is what Abraham did.
But the most remarkable thing is that he wasn’t looking for a temporary dwelling on earth but had set his vision on the eternal kingdom, built by God. Abraham had a vision of eternity and the new Jerusalem.
My question to me and all of us is where are we looking? For redemption from this world or redemption within this worlds confines.
God wants us to lift up our eyes and see what’s coming for us instead of looking around and seeing what’s here.
This week spend a couple of minutes pondering what that second coming will look like. Imagine that heavenly city free from evil and rejoice He is coming soon.
Bless you and keep living the life God intended for you.
Karen
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