Redeemed

“Redemption communicates, in a sense, an ongoing state or effect. In Christ, we not only have been, but are continually being brought back to our new status in Christ. He takes our ashes, and makes them beautiful. He takes the prostitute, and makes her a pure virgin. He takes the one who feels dirty, and continually declares them white as snow. He takes Rahab the harlot, and makes her the great-great grandmother of King David. He takes David, the repentant adulterer and murderer, and still has him write psalms that we sing today. He takes the widow of Zarephath, who was preparing to die from starvation, and not only provides for her and her son, but uses her to house the prophet Elijah. He took Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the church, and made him a pillar of that same church. Any one of those (and many more) could have declared themselves ruined. But God had other plans.”

-Excerpt from Redemption for the Ruined By Rev. Jay Barfield

I absolutely love this! I’m aware that sometimes I sound like a broken record when I talk about my life. Living with PTSD is an ongoing challenge and how I got to this point still has consequences that continue to need dealing with, but the truth of being washed clean through Jesus, being redeemed, and recreated into something new — that is a truth that seems too good to be true! I am overwhelmed with God’s goodness and I don’t want to lose that sense of wonder. So I remind myself and remind you, too — because this gift of redemption isn’t exclusively for me. This gift, the glory, this crazy/wonderful life is yours for the taking.