‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine’ (v1b) Isaiah 43:1–2
There are many pressures each of us faces daily. Yet, we are reassured that God is always with us. This is because He has laid down His life in Jesus in exchange for the release of each of us from the bondage of sin. Much like Israel experienced slavery under the Egyptians (Exod. 1:8–14), so humanity has been held captive by Satan since the Fall (Gen. 3).
Just as God led Israel to freedom through the Red Sea, so we, by accepting the death and resurrection of Jesus, can be freed from sin and death. Baptism symbolises our crossing of the Red Sea, moving from slavery to freedom and inheriting all the promises of God.
Slavery is like an addiction; despite our best intentions, we are controlled by forces beyond our control (Rom. 7:15). The good news is that not only has God redeemed us, but He calls us by name. We can choose to ignore God’s voice, or we can pay heed and respond. Every journey with God is dormant until the individual called says yes (John 1:35–39).
From this point on our friendship with God can deepen day by day. But it remains dependent upon our continued desire to follow and find out more about Jesus. Reassuringly, God never tires of us and will never walk away since He has made us heirs with Christ. God can never give up on us.
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Rom. 6:1–14; 7:7–8:17.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Ask yourself: have you found freedom from sin by surrendering to Jesus? Have you chosen to respond to Jesus’ call, ‘Come follow me?’ Do you encounter Jesus daily in your regular life?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, hear my decision: ‘I have decided to follow Jesus, the world behind me, the cross before me, though none go with me I will follow, my cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus’*. Help me to live this prayer every day. Amen.’
Picture of Matheus Seroa via Pixabay
