Redemption Time
A blast from the past! Most of you youngsters won’t remember S&H Green Stamps, but my peers will. We remember when would receive them at check-out counters of supermarkets, department stores and gasoline stations as rewards for shopping in their store.
I well remember collecting as many books of 1200 stamps as possible. That would mean a new appliance or household item that we selected from a catalog or store. Then we’d REDEEM our books for the item that we wanted.
REDEEM: to buy back, to get or win back, to free from captivity by payment of a ransom, to release from debt, to remove the obligation of payment, to exchange for something of value.
I heard the story of a young woman who found herself suddenly “un-engaged” three weeks before her wedding pictures were scheduled to be taken. It was too late to cancel the photography session, so she went ahead and had a solo shoot done at Disneyland. The photos were published and went viral.
Even more remarkable than the photos, was her attitude. She described the day: “It honestly couldn’t have been a more beautiful experience. I was filled with the peace and comfort that only comes from above. I’m so glad I decided to go through with the photos. More importantly, I’m so grateful for the smallest acts of daily kindness that make all the difference in a broken world.” She REDEEMED her pain for beauty and gratitude.
That story reminded me of my own daughter’s heartbreak in her early 20s after a broken relationship. As difficult that it was for her in that season, all of the tragedy was REDEEMED and used for good because it turned her heart to faith in God and service to others as she established her “Cinderella” ministries and EM Women (empowering women).
She created the Pledge for Purity program that taught the beauty of chastity before marriage and went across the U.S. and Canada speaking to young people about the beauty of purity.
Isaiah 61:3 says, “I will give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
I have my own redemption story. Like turning in our S&H Green Stamp books for a toaster or some other item, when my sweetheart left for heaven, I turned in the ashes and mourning for beauty and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I know beauty and I know living with the oil of joy on a daily basis.
Isn’t it beautiful that God says He will give us beauty for ashes? There is a redemption plan here. We give Him our ashes and in return, He gives us His beauty. Everyone has wounds. Everyone has ashes–and all kinds of them. Those ashes may look like rejection, a job loss, a miscarriage, a divorce, an illness, a loss of a loved one, or a home. Ashes happen everywhere and to everyone.
God REDEEMS our challenges by using them to show us our need of Him. In that way, we can count ourselves blessed when we face challenges. Jesus taught us “Blessed are those who know their need of God.” (Matthew 5:3).
Whatever it is that is overwhelming your life today, gather it all up and place it at the feet of Jesus, I assure you – REDEMPTION Day is here and you can trade in all the challenges, mistakes, failures, concerns, fears, regret, loss and even the time you’ve lost, for beauty, joy and praise!