You are in for a treat today. Jennifer Clarke is with us sharing some wonderful and encouraging devotional thoughts! Enjoy!
“‘…I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.'”
Exodus 19:4
What a beautiful image this verse evokes…
God is speaking of His people, the Israelites here. They had been in bondage in Egypt, and He brought them out. He's reminding them of His rescue. And recounting His redemption.
Dear believer, you are no less rescued. And no less redeemed.
No, your bonds probably weren't the physical sort that left your back weary and your hands raw and overworked from slave labor.
They were the spiritual sort that left your soul weary and your heart raw and overfull of sin.
And just like He did for the Israelites, He bore you out of your bondage on eagles' wings.
Aren't you thankful for that?
I am…and I pray I never get over the wonder of it.
But guess what…
That's not the end of the story.
Because God doesn't just bring us out. He brings us to.
To freedom?
Sure.
To healing?
Absolutely.
To restoration?
Certainly.
But primarily…most importantly…preeminently…
He brought us to Himself.
In a wonderful way that allows us to have a relationship with Him…
to walk and talk with Him all day, every day.
But that's still not all.
Because He also brought us to Himself in another wonderful way…
a way that means ownership.
You see, the word “redeem” means to buy back. He actually paid for us with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. So we are not our own…
though we often think we'd like to be…
and though we certainly act like we are.
Because instead of realizing the implications of His redemption, I'm afraid all too often we bask in the benefits of our freedom, and still feel like we have the right to call the shots. We behave as though we're entitled to more than what we really deserve — which is a cross.
Do you recall Paul's call to action in Romans 12:1? He exhorted believers to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice…holy and acceptable to God.
And why should we do that?
Because it's our reasonable act of service.
It's not a noble act. Or an admirable one. Or a noteworthy one.
It's the only right response to the One who owns us.
But do you know what's particularly amazing about His ownership?
We don't just belong to Him…
we're also loved by Him.
His sovereignty isn't only for His glory…
it's also for our good.
He doesn't just call the shots for His sake…
He does it for ours.
Friends, let's thank Him today for our rescue. And then let's acknowledge to Him our redemption, with all it implies. Let's take time to bask in the relationship it allows. And yield our right to call the shots.
Because that right was never really ours anyway.
~~
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
I Corinthians 6:19-20
Jennifer Clarke is a loving child of Almighty God, adoring wife, and homeschooling mother of three. She is active in teaching and music ministries in her local church, and passionate about encountering her Savior, and encouraging other women to do the same. You can visit Jennifer at A Divine Encounter or on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.