On a number of occasions, I have told you that the best way to read/study the Bible isn’t by reading many chapters or for multiple hours but it’s to read for application. If we read only a couple of verses and they speak to our heart and we think on them throughout the whole day, it’s better than marking chapters off a list and having the words make no impact.
Yesterday I was taken back as I read one verse, one obscure verse in Psalms.
“Remember the people you bought so long ago. You saved us, and we belong to you.” Psalm 74:2 CEV
It was this one verse that reminded me of my Father’s love. Remember You, heavenly Father, bought us – saved us and we belong to You!
The word bought is translated in other places as the word “redeemed”.
“You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb.” I Peter 1:18-19 ERV
Years ago, our favorite pastime was attending farm and ranch auctions. We were addicted to finding treasures that others overlooked. We went so often that we became friends with some of the different auctioneers and from time to time they would ask us to help out. Dave would spot bids in the crowd and I would clerk.
We were working at one auction where someone had consigned some artwork. I was busy recording the bids so, I hadn’t really looked up to see what the pictures looked like until there was a lull in the bidding. It was then I saw this angelic face.
I was captured by the innocence I saw in his eyes, the chubby cheeks and the cherub like smile. I knew I needed to buy it and give it a place of honor in our home.
When I read that verse yesterday morning – You bought us, You saved us, You made us your own”. I remember that day at the auction – I bought, saved and made my own that sweet little angel.
How much greater, how much deeper is the Father’s love for us? We have been redeemed, we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and by that blood our debt has been marked “Paid in Full”.
This painting, which now hangs in our daughter’s home, has been a daily reminder for me. Just seeing it stirs my heart, it’s such a sweet face that needed rescuing but more than that it reminds me that I was in need of rescuing and Christ stepped up and paid the price.
“ He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2 NLV
I will be grateful for all eternity that God bought me, saved me and made me His own. I’ve been redeemed, you have too. The price for our salvation has been marked “Paid in Full”.
This reminded me of a story I heard years ago, a man was fined for a minor infraction under dubious circumstances and when he went to pay his fine it already had been paid by an anonymous benefactor.
Redemption – is costly. It cost Christ his life and for us, it’s priceless for us!