Redeemed
We have come to the end of this path of Redeemed on our journey together.
Once more, our trailway opens to the familiar large circle area, where the warm, roaring fire greets us as we embrace joyfully.
We huddle and cuddle around the fire, allowing its warmth to comfort us.
Every time we hang out like this, I can't help but reflect on the past times when we met at this very spot.
I remember what we looked like when we first hung out together all those months ago.
We were so beaten down and worn out, convinced that there was no way out of the pain and torment we lived with for so many years.
Redemption and hope seemed like a distant dream, didn't they?
But God sure did make those dreams a reality.
I mean, dang, look at us now!
Here we are, a huddled bunch of redeemed misfits who, if I may say, look pretty darn stunning.
A spark of light radiates from us that we almost overtake the brightness of the blazing fire we surround!
It's incredible what God can do, isn't it?
God’s redemption has saved us.
We take out our paper and begin to write down the things that kept us believing that we could never be free from the chains of sin, anger, unforgiveness, and regret that held us in captivity for so long.
We write about our stubbornness that kept us clenching onto shame and regret.
We write about feeling alone and lost and certain that no one was coming for us.
We write about the lie that we believed God could never love us - we honestly thought we were unredeemable.
Man, that last one just makes us mad!
We crumple up our papers and throw them into the fire, and the flame roars so high in the sky that we can barely see the top of the massive inferno before us.
Goodbye lies from the pit of hell.
We pull out another piece of paper and write down the truths that will be our anchor to hold us steady as we continue on our journey:
Jesus paid the price for our freedom, and we will never take that for granted again
God never stopped looking for us and never gave up until we were back with Him, safe and sound.
We are free to move forward and have a fantastic future ahead of us that God cannot wait for us to experience
What's that we are feeling?
Relief?
Hope?
Joy?
Optimism?
Oh yes, and of course, gratitude to God is at the top of the list.
That is the one thing we feel more than anything.
Just as we say that, another path opens, and we look at each other with a glimmer in our eyes.
God, where you lead us, we will follow!
Here we go!
Psalm 107:2
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.
Lamentations 3: 57-58
You drew near on the day I called to You; You said, "Do not fear." O Lord, You have pleaded my soul's cause [You have guided my way and protected me]; You have rescued and redeemed my life.
Isaiah 44:22
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.