The Most Beautiful Gift I've Heard Sung

When I got married, I was very young and I was very immature. I had a worldly heart and a childish spirit. There were people in my life at that time who made belittling comments that affected my outlook on my relationship. I'm not saying that the people who said these things meant harm, but that I was silly enough to let those comments affect me in a negative way.

Words matter. Words are powerful. God spoke the universe into being.

As humans, with no other power than that of speech, our words have effect - for right or for wrong.

Recently I heard a song that touched me so deeply that I am still playing it on repeat almost two days later. The lyrics spoke into my heart to remind me of the most beautiful gift I have been given: Redemption.

Words. Power.

The tongue can bless and the tongue can curse. The person who wrote this particular song shared a blessing he received when he needed it. I have a feeling that he might have no idea how his voice, his words, blessed me.

I know God loves me. I know that I have forgiveness and salvation. I know all that, but I was struggling in a darkness so deep that I was starting to lose sight of all my blessings. I was literally praying every moment for God to take me out of this life and into the next. I actually prayed that.

While I was listening to some music, just to drown out all the self-pitying voices in my mind, I heard this song called "Redeemed".

Those words spoke to me. They spoke the truth of what it means for me to have God's love. They spoke to all the sorrow I was feeling and all the shameful wishes for death that were lingering around me like a cloud.

I felt so happy that I literally stood up and raised my hands in praise.

The sadness and grief I felt is still here. I'm still a failure at so many things in life. I'm still in financial ruins. I'm still trying to find my way out of some difficult circumstances. I'm still sometimes such a mess of a person that it's a wonder that I've made it this far in life without a minder.

But guess what?

I am redeemed.

Those lyrics of that song - just words, after all - were what I needed to hear at just the right time. I can't even listen to the the song without wanting to weep for joy.

When people say that God doesn't answer prayers, I know that He does. I know that He doesn't answer the prayers I've prayed with my human heart ("Let me just die, Father"), but He answers the prayers that come out of my very soul ("What am I living for, Father? What's the point?").

His answer this time was that I need to remember that I am redeemed.

I am redeemed, no matter what a mess I sometimes think I am.
I am redeemed, even if I spend the rest of my life alone.
I am redeemed, no matter how many times I fall down in sin.
I am redeemed, no matter what anybody else thinks about me.
I am redeemed, even if I never make it out this financial mess I am in.
I am redeemed.
No matter what.

Any time I'm tempted to think of my faults and my struggles, I am going to turn to my Bible and remind myself about God's gift of redemption.

That is the only gift I need. It's the most beautiful gift. And it's a gift that I'm glad my family members also had.

Go here to look at the video and to hear the story behind the song.

God bless those people for that song.
Peace
--Free