There are some things I just don’t understand. Enormous ships being hijacked off the coast of Somolia is one of them. Rather than paying large sums of money to pirates for the safe return of your crew and ship, why not invest in some weapons and a few guys trained to use them? Pirates approach ship…blow them out of the water. It obviously can’t be that simple or they’d be doing it.
While we’re on the subject of things I don’t understand…there’s the ice build-up NASA is always worried about during space shuttle launches. I was at a meeting in Tucson, Arizona a few years ago and noticed the outside of my iced tea glass was completely dry even though I was sitting outside. After living in Arkansas for 20 years where the humidity is thick enough that you can see it, I couldn’t help noticing the dry glass. So why do we launch space shuttles in a humid place like Florida and not in dry places like Arizona? Is it so we can crash land in the ocean? Maybe there’d be less need of that if there was less chance of ice.
Anyway, back to my point. Ransom.
I love it that our government has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists or paying ransom to pirates. Send in the Navy SEALS in the middle of the night to settle things.
It’s just good that God doesn’t think like I do. He’s not a negotiator, but He does pay ransom. Ephesians 1:7 says:
“In [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
The word “redemption” literally means “liberation procured by the payment of ransom.”
Sin and death held me hostage. There was no hope of escape or release. My fate was sealed…until God stepped in and procured my freedom by paying the only acceptable ransom…the blood of Christ.
And He did it in accordance with the riches of His grace that He lavished on me. He didn’t do it reluctantly or sparingly. He didn’t wonder if the price was too high. He didn’t look for loopholes. His lavish, outrageous grace resulted in full payment.
You’ve been ransomed, too. The price was fully paid. His blood secured your freedom. Sin and death no longer have any hold on you.
You’re not in bondage. You’re not guilty. You don’t need to feel any shame.
You are free.
You are forgiven.
You are totally accepted and fully pleasing to God.
The blood of Christ ransomed you.
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