A Redeemed Child of God

by Jim Rower

When I was a child, my mother collected Blue Chip Stamps and S&H Green Stamps. These stamps had point values, and they were given to shoppers as part of a rewards or loyalty program. The more money one spent, the more points they earned. Similar stamps of other names were used in other parts of the country and, I think, in other countries as well.

Once a shopper had collected enough points’ worth of stamps, they could exchange them for housewares and other items found in the stamp company’s catalog. When my mom had saved up enough points for what she wanted, she would drive to the company’s redemption center to exchange her stamps for the item(s).

This was my first exposure to what “redeem” meant. She would redeem items like cookware, small appliances, or sometimes a toy for one of us kids, by “paying” with the several months’ worth of saved, precious stamps. To me, “redeem” came to mean exchanging something you have for something that is of greater value to you. I mean, why would you exchange anything for something of lesser value?

The literal meaning of the New Testament Greek word translated redeem is to “liberate by payment of a ransom.” Here again, why would someone pay a ransom to liberate someone or something that is of less value to them than the ransom itself? So, when I teach about “redemption” in Sunday School, I stress this aspect of getting something of equal or greater value in return for the price or ransom paid.

One of the joys I get out of teaching Sunday School is the surprising answers occasionally given by kids to my questions about the lesson. Sometimes they are surprisingly humorous, and sometimes they are surprisingly profound and insightful.

The main point of the lesson on a recent Sunday was, “God Redeems.” We spent some time discussing what the word “redeem” means, and I emphasized the point of someone paying a price for something that is of equal or greater value to them.

Then I asked this question, “If God was willing to pay the price of sending His only Son to die a painful death on the cross to redeem us—to pay the ransom for us—what does that say about how much He values us?”

A quiet 5th grade girl in the back of the room raised her hand and said, “It means we are like a son to Him.”

Mind blown…perfect answer.

God values us as much as His own Son, Jesus. The price He paid was EXTRAORDINARY. The love He has for us is EVEN MORE EXTRAORDINARY.

Galatians 4:4-7 reads:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (NKJV)

We are the redeemed and adopted children of God, and heirs to His eternal Kingdom.

Abba, Father, Almighty God, it is hard for me to understand how You could love and value me so much that You sent Jesus to pay the debt for my sins and shortcomings. You are so holy and I am so undeserving. And yet, I know You have redeemed me as Your adopted child. Though I may not be able to understand the depth of Your love, I accept this gift You’ve given me. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Amen.