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OUR REDEEMER (ISAIAH 35:1-10)

REFLECTION

“Our redeemer” is the theme for our reflection. To redeem is to free others from distress or harm. A redeemer has the power to liberate others from captivity or bondage. We shall reflect on the fact that Jesus is our redeemer.

Beloved in the Lord, Jesus, the promised redeemer came to redeem us from captivity. During the time of Prophet Isaiah, some of the Israelites were taken into captivity by the Babylonian empire hence the message of hope was given to the oppressed and depressed Israelites through the Prophet Isaiah by God that ” Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” … the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:3-4, 10) This message of hope was not only existential to the people of the era but also prophetic to our dispensation because God sent the Redeemer of the Israelites to liberate the world spiritually and physically. It was for this purpose “When John, who was in prison and he heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (Matthew 11:2-5). My dear friends in the Lord, Jesus is the promised Messiah and Redeemer. Jesus further declared to the world that He was the promised Redeemer when “the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21). Beloved in the Lord, we can have all the fun or entertainment we wish to have on this earth, we can amass all the wealth we wish to have on this earth, we can acquire all the academic degrees and professional certificates with their associated titles and positions but Jesus, our Redeemer admonishes us that “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:36-38). Dear friends, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself “after I a have lived my life on this earth what will be the fate of my soul?” This is the most important question many people run away from until they fast approach their departure from the world. This is the simple fact of life, life is temporary and incredibly fleeting, you meet someone today and tomorrow they are no more, someone sees you today and tomorrow you are gone. Job after observing life, concluded that “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. (Job 1:21). Similarly, Paul reminds us through his letter to Timothy that “… godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Timothy 6:6-7) 

The good news is that, if you are still alive and you have no relationship with the promised Redeemer then grace has found you today “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18). Dear friend, behold, Jesus your promised redeemer, He can only save you if you take the personal decision to make Him your Lord and Saviour and to dedicate and surrender your life into His hands. Remember, you can bribe the police to release you from their custody, and you can bribe the judge to declare you not guilty for an offence you have committed but you cannot bribe our promised Redeemer on the judgement day, salvation is non-negotiable, it is, for this reason, we must all treat our redemption from sin as a matter of urgency. Our date of birth we know but our date of death we do not know but is certainly imminent. No matter who are, no matter what have achieved without the promised Redeemer as your Lord and Saviour have no business with eternal life.

In summary, we have been reminded that Jesus is our redeemer. Let us continue to put our trust in Him and follow Him as faithful disciples. Shalom

PRAYER

Jesus, our Redeemer, we completely surrender our lives into Your gracious arms. Save us from sin and temptations and above all. Amen.