Rescued and Redeemed - Encouragement Café - February 8, 2017

Rescued and Redeemed, From Shame to Salvation
By Carolyn Dale Newell
Wednesday, February 8, 2017

…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct… but with the precious blood of Christ… 1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV

She stood on the auction block, alone and ashamed. How had it come to this? She had a loving husband who was now raising three children, and they may not be his own. Why had she not been faithful? Why did she turn to a life of prostitution which led her to the slave market? She had no answers, just guilt.

She could not look at the faces of the men gathering around her. She did not know that in the midst of the crowd stood the man who loved her. Then she heard the familiar voice of her husband. He was bidding on her! Why would he want her now? He continued to bid higher and higher. It was the forgiving love of Hosea that rescued Gomer from a future of bondage.

Christian, it was God’s love that rescued us from hell. Gomer was Hosea’s wife, but he still had to purchase her in order to save her. God created us, but He had to send His Son to redeem us with His precious blood.

God’s love letter (the Bible) is filled with stories of redeeming love. Stories like Hosea and Gomer, and Boaz and Ruth.

We can identify with Gomer, feeling unworthy of God’s love. There is not one person who is worthy of His love. That is why it is special. God loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

Maybe you feel unloved today. Perhaps you feel shame and remorse. God loves you. We were rescued from sin’s slave market. Not with money. Not with silver or gold. But with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Like Gomer, we were helpless and hopeless. Jesus made a way when we could not find our way. You can read all about it in His love letter to you.

Read Hosea 1-3. God demonstrated His love for Israel, who played the harlot, through Hosea and Gomer. John 3:16 is a familiar verse, but repeat it and replace “the world” with your name. If you had been the only one, Christ would have still died for you. Like Hosea, God rescued and redeemed His children from sin’s slave market.

Heavenly Father, thank You for saving me from a life of sin. Thank You for seeing past my faults and loving me anyway. Help me live a life pleasing to You. Amen.

© 2017 by Carolyn Dale Newell. All rights reserved.

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