verb (used with an object): to recover possession or ownership of
This is not the only definition of to redeem but it's the one that means the most to me.
One song, boiled down to one word, sparked the idea for this blog. There's a song called "Unredeemed" sung by a group named Selah. This is not typically the kind of song I would listen to but I had been researching some hymns and updated versions of them and came across this song in the process.
It stopped me in my tracks. Halfway through the song, I had tears streaming from my eyes. Here are the lyrics:
The cruelest word, the coldest heart,
The deepest wound, the endless dark.
The lonely ache, the burning tears,
The bitter nights, the wasted years.
Life breaks and falls apart,
But we know these are
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled, it may be unrestored,
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see, it will not be unredeemed.
For every choice that led to shame,
And all the love that never came,
For every vow that someone broke,
And every life that gave up hope.
We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing.
It may be unfulfilled, it may be unrestored,
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see, it will not be unredeemed.
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing.
It may be unfulfilled, it may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle the Father has in store.
Just watch and see, it will not be unredeemed.
I have been a Christian for a long time. In fact, so long that I don't even remember when I really came to that conclusion....it just always was that way. In my 34 years, I've had periods of doubt and what poets and theologians have referred to as a "dark night of the soul" experience.
But the darkest experience for me has been something that a lot of people - particularly Christians - don't talk about. Depression.
I have fought it for many years now. With the aid of medication, therapy, physicians, and God I have managed to lead an existence that I feel has fallen just short of normal.
I feel unfulfilled and I feel unrestored. So when those words were in the lyrics to this song it resonated deep inside of me.
As Christians the concept of redemption is a core belief. It is the epicenter, the centrality of our faith. Christ REDEEMED us from sin. He saved us. And that use of the word isn't wrong but I made up my mind to follow Christ a long time ago. I believe redemption is ongoing but I am starting to see that redemption takes on different characteristics depending upon the depth of our relationship with Christ.
As someone who is hurting inside and often feels as if I have nothing to offer in this life, the thought of being redeemed is overwhelmingly beautiful. I picture myself sitting outside the unredeemed luggage office at the airport and suddenly Jesus strolls up and says, "You're all tattered and bruised. You've got some rips in your upholstery. But I've come back to redeem you. You're mine. Did you think I would leave you here even if you were broken?"
I may be unfulfilled, I may be unrestored. I am definitely shattered.
But I'm laying myself before God and I believe that I will not be unredeemed.
And neither will you. If you find yourself feeling this way, know that there are others out there who struggle with this as well. I am going to keep writing honestly about how I hurt and I am going to lay my shattered self before Christ again and again. It will not be unredeemed.
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