Redemption Defined

"I cannot redeem it for myself"

Ruth 4:6

I came across an interesting definition the other day.  I love definitions.  Sometimes I forget what word I'm looking up, because I get so distracted by my curiosity about words other than my target word.  Does that ever happen to you? 

I often look up words I already know the definition for ~ or think I already know the definition for ~ with the goal of better understanding the word, or learning its origin.  And I often find I have new insight into a Bible verse containing that word.

Well, this recently happened to me with the word "redeemed".  My pastor used the word during a sermon, and all of a sudden, I thought, "I wonder what the whole definition of that word is..."  So when I got home, I looked it up.  And sure enough, the definition opened my eyes.

Redeem is a word that is used frequently in Scripture, and if you've asked Jesus to be your Savior, then you have probably already come to the conclusion that you need a Redeemer.  Romans 3:23 says "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Our lives need to be redeemed to Him, by Him.   The most common definition of redeem is "to save" and that's the aspect of the redemption that will give us eternal life with Him.

But it's more than that. Because in addition to the definition "to save," redeem also means "to compensate for faults or the bad aspects of something."  Don't you love that?  Do you appreciate all that the Lord does for us as our Redeemer?   Every failing, every flaw, every weakness.... every hole is filled in by Him.  That knowledge brings to mind 2 Corinthians 12:9 ~ "My strength is made perfect in weakness" and Romans 8:26 ~ "The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses."

It's not the first time I've realized that my appreciation for all He does for me only touches the surface.  At the end of my life on this earth, I will be redeemed, once and for all.  But in the meantime, He's doing a lot more redeeming than I realize.

~ "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, 

The Holy One of Israel: 

'I am the Lord your God... 

Who leads you by the way you should go' " ~

Isaiah 48:17