This morning I'm thinking on the beautiful words of Colossians 1:13-14 - 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
It's easy, and important, for me to personalize this to: 13 For he has rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Nothing is more relevant to me than this. These words, these concepts, sum life up, for me.
I needed rescue. I remember being 21 years old and standing on a stage somewhere in Illinois. I was playing guitar in a band. I was a drug user, alcohol abuser, and practical misogynist (I self-centeredly mistreated women). That night, while performing, the thought came to me: "I am screwed up." I was in a very dark place.
I later realized this was yet another attempt, on God's behalf, to rescue me. This time, it worked. A few weeks after this, while walking from my apartment onto the campus of Northern Illinois University, I prayed: "God, if you are real and can save me, I will follow you all the days of my life."
*Redemption - the act of taking a lemon and making lemonade.
I have been redeemed. I get to preach this coming Sunday at Redeemer about the rescue and the redemption.
