“This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is good for you
and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17
You may not believe this about me, but I had a punk phase. Well, I tried. I wore chokers, chopped my hair off and spiked it out. I bought a pair of Doc Martens so they made me take things a little more seriously and elevated how I saw the world by an entire inch. (FYI- For us short people, that makes a HUGE difference!) The crowning glory of all my punkdom was my black horn-rimmed glasses that had a red tint to them. Anything and everything in my life was screened through rosy-ish colored glasses and for some reason that filter helped me believe I was punky, not just a wannabe. It was almost as if putting them on caused me to step into an alter ego, and believe what I was trying to portray to the world around me. I would wear them often and for so long, that when I took them off I was actually surprised at how different reality looked. My eyes had adapted to the lens I viewed everything through.
What a difference our vision makes.
Last week we discussed some pivotal questions to help you get better insight from the past season, and move into the new. (You can read that post here). While it is always a good idea to process, some of us (yep, me too!) get a little caught up on the mistakes we’ve made or on the stumbles as we trudge forward. I think we need to change how we’re seeing things.
Today we let just about anything filter the world for us….and if you step back from it for a minute, it’s kind of weird. Someone is cool based on their shoes or clothes, what shows they watch, the titles they hold at work or places they have traveled.
We look down on some people who seem to struggle or have less x, y, or z then we do…..and look up to people who have more x, y, and z then we’ll ever have.
I’m not saying this is right, but I’m pretty sure most of us do it.
What would it look like to put the right filter in place? To simply look at things differently? A way to view the world that honors God, gives grace to others, and holds our lives in a place where we are anchored in hope. Something so transcendental that even clothing, comparison or punk red glasses can’t touch.
What if we looked at life through the lens of redemption?
I think I’d much rather live with that filter than any I’m currently using, how about you?
The above passage from Isaiah 48 gives us some serious encouragement on this issue. First of all, isn’t it just remarkable that God identifies himself as our redeemer? He, the God of the universe, is set apart as the one who redeems. If our eyes are focused on him, as we seek him, trust him, love him and follow him then we have to accept when his all encompassing character comes on the scene, it changes things. If we’re transfixed on him, he becomes the filter through which we view everything else. He is not only God and good, he is redemption and at work to redeem- even the yucky stuff, like reformed punks. Anything and everything in our lives can be run through that filter. The filter of redemption. Think about that in the context of our lives:
Work.
Play.
Home.
Life.
Stress.
Family.
Good.
Bad.
Ugly.
Here’s the thing- when God’s redeeming power is our filter, all the other things do not get the final say. God does. And in light of his promise to us that he is our redeemer, everything comes under his sovereign redeeming power.
Any of it and all of it should be filtered through the lens of redemption and the fact that God is at work, continuing to work in what we can and cannot see. Trusting his character as redeemer means we live by faith, and trust him to redeem it all. All. of. it.
Furthermore, his presence with us is pivotal in that it teaches us what is good, and leads us where we should follow. We won’t just look at the world differently we will operate in it differently too. How’s that for redemption?
So my challenge for us this week is simply this: anything that is holding you back, holding you down or has any kind of hold on you……ask God to redeem. Whether it’s a memory, a regret, a mistake, or even sin. Repent, cut ties with the past and invite Jesus into the middle of it to redeem it. Every opportunity of redemption gives us the chance to rely on him more, and love him more because we’ve witnessed and experienced his heart of redemption.
With love from a former punk,
Joy