Tag Archives: redemption

The Wonders of God’s Redemption

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 136, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 136
(Verses 10-16)
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever (NIV).

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Wild hosta-like plants in bloom — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Because of the responsive pattern employed by the psalmist, today’s reading from Psalm 136 begins as an incomplete sentence. When combined with yesterday’s reading, the full sentence reads: Give thanks to the Lord of lords, to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, and brought Israel out from among them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. 

Whereas yesterday’s reading from Psalm 136 celebrates the wonders of God’s creation, today’s reading celebrates the wonders of God’s redemption of Israel. The LORD delivered the captive souls of Israel from hard labor and slavery in Egypt. Though the eldest child of the Egyptians perished, the Hebrew children were spared from the Angel of Death, because the blood of the Passover lamb was applied to the doorposts of their home. See Exodus 12.

At a grim Passover celebration 2,000 years ago, Jesus suffered and died on the cross as our Passover Lamb. When we place our faith in his sacrificial blood, we too are spared from death. Jesus tasted death on our behalf, so that we can live eternally with him.  As believers we can rejoice and draw comfort from these words. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Through the blood of Christ the power of Satan is broken and we are brought into the dominion of the Son of God. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

Surely as redeemed children of God—children personally redeemed by the Son of God—we have this testimony: His love endures forever. 

Response: Father God, I thank you for redeeming me with the sacred blood of Jesus. I have been adopted into your family. You are my heavenly Father. I can never thank you enough. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you living in a new kingdom, under a new king—King Jesus?

Listening Prayer

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 130, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 130
(Verses 5-8)
I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
 I wait for the LORD
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins (NIV).

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More than watchmen wait for the morning — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Psalm 130 can be divided into three distinct sections: the confessional approach, the wait, and the LORD’s response. In yesterday’s reading, we looked at the confessional approach. The psalmist came before his God and poured out his heart. In desperation he pleaded for mercy and forgiveness. At the same time he acknowledged the extreme mercy of God. He knows full well that this God forgives the undeserving.

Now, the psalmist waits: “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.”

This is the step that is most frequently missing in our communion with God. We cannot wait; we rush on. We have things to do, people to see, a life to live. We have no time to wait for the LORD’s response. But without waiting, we cannot hear the LORD speaking to our hearts. The rush of life takes over. We do not hear our Savior speak the words of divine pardon. Prayer is reduced to one way communication. We speak into the silence, and allow no time for the God of silence to answer back.

But in his time of silence, the psalmist heard from God. In this third section of the psalm, the author is no longer addressing the LORD in prayer. Now he is addresses us. The wait is over. God has spoken, and now the psalmist rises to his feet. He has a message from the LORD for us—the Israel of God.

Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 

For Israel, there was a long wait. The promised Messiah was a long time in coming. The centuries slipped by. Generation after generation passed on, but the word of the LORD stood firm. A Redeemer was coming. With an uncanny accuracy the Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of the Christ. Many of those prophetic words are found within the Psalms. The Lord Jesus is our fount of hope—our Redeemer. He is love and the source of unfailing love. It is he who with his blood redeemed us, body, soul and spirit. In the person of Jesus, God took on human flesh. On the cross he fulfilled these words. “He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”

Response: Father God, I thank you for your prophetic word because it points to Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank you for laying down your life to redeem me, and all those who bow before you in repentance. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you taking time to listen for the voice of God in prayer?

Is your relationship with God steadfast or cyclical?

14 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107  
(Verses 33-43)
He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest;
he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.
Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
I wish I could say that I was always steadfast in my love for the LORD and steadfast in the pursuit of His will and purpose for my life. But in reality my walk with God has been cyclical. There have been times when I have sensed God’s great love and intimacy, and other times when I have followed the Lord from a distance.

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The forest floor and the green of spring — photo by David Kitz

In this concluding portion of Psalm 107, we see the cyclical nature of our love for God on full display. As people cry out to the LORD in their distress, He hears and answers their prayers. The LORD blesses them abundantly. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.

But with increased prosperity, people often forget God who brought the blessing. They assume that wealth and good times have arrived simply because of their own effort. Yes, God expects us to exert some effort. But we can put in effort and get no increase. Ultimately, God is the source of every blessing. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).

When we forget to be thankful, we set ourselves on a downward spiral where again we will soon need to repent and call out to God for mercy. We need national and personal steadfastness to the LORD. 

Response: Father God, thank you for my personal story of redemption. Help me to always remain thankful. I don’t want to be trapped in a cycle. Help me to be steadfast in pursuing your will. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you steadfast or cyclical in your pursuit of God?

Stories of Redemption

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107
(Verses 1-9)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things (NIV).

Reflection
This psalm is different. It’s unique among the 150 psalms in the Bible because it presents us with various vignettes of redemption—brief stories or scenes where the LORD rains down his mercy and rescues the wayward and downtrodden.

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Babbling creek in a deep ravine, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

In verse two the psalmist declares, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” Then as the psalm progresses, he goes on to describe five scenes or stories of redemption. The desert-stranded traveler is rescued; the prisoner is set free, the rebellious are brought healing and encouragement, those lost in a storm-tossed sea find a safe harbor, and prosperity returns to the inhabitants of a parched wasteland. In every situation, the great God of heaven hears the cries of His people and shows them His plenteous mercy.

What a good God we serve! With the psalmist we exclaim, “His love endures forever!”

If you are a follower of Jesus, you too have a story of redemption to tell. He rescued you from a downward hellish spiral just as real as those described in this psalm. Some rescues come in the nick of time; others come early on, before we sink neck-deep into trouble. We might call them preemptive rescues. Whatever your personal story, it’s a testimony worth telling. God intervened in your life, and the good news is He stands ready to intervene again at the very moment you cry out to Him.

He loves to redeem His people. It’s in His nature. Spiritually, are you in a desert place? Call out to Him.

Response: Father God, I am thankful that I have a story of redemption. You intervened in my life. Today I thank you for satisfying my thirst and filling my life with good things. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have a story of redemption to tell? Was it pre-emptive or in the nick of time?

Do We Remember?

03 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 106, Psalms

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Reading:                                    Psalm 106                                                          

(Verses 16-27)
In the camp they grew envious of Moses
and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it buried the company of Abiram.
Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
They exchanged their glorious God
for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
They forgot the God who saved them,
who had done great things in Egypt,
miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
So he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him
to keep his wrath from destroying them.
Then they despised the pleasant land;
they did not believe his promise.
They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.
So he swore to them with uplifted hand
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
make their descendants fall among the nations
and scatter them throughout the lands (NIV).

Reflection
Annually we pause to commemorate Veterans Day in United States, or Remembrance Day as it is known in Canada. That day was chosen to honor and remember our fallen soldiers because November 11, 1918 marked the end of the First World War. It is fitting that we remember those who sacrificed their lives in the defense of their country and its way of life. To forget them would be a disgrace to them and to the nation. We owe our liberty to these brave men and women. Lest we forget is the oft repeated motto of this day of solemn remembrance.

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Window of Life – photo courtesy of Donald Adam

Today’s reading from Psalm 106 highlights the importance of a nation’s collective memory. Israel was redeemed and set free from slavery in Egypt by the miracle working power of God, yet in a few short years they forgot, or chose to ignore the LORD who rescued them. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

There are serious consequences for the nation that forgets, or turns its back on the God who called its people out of darkness. The same is true on a personal level. We need to routinely remind ourselves that Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us and make us his very own.

Response: Father God, I thank you for my personal redemption. Lead me in the right path for my life. Guide our nation. May there be a collective turning to you in repentance and faith. Amen.

Your Turn: Is there such a thing as national redemption or salvation, or is it always personal?

A River in the Desert

30 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 105, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 105  

(Verses 39-45)
He spread out a cloud as a covering,
and a fire to give light at night.
They asked, and he brought them quail;
he fed them well with the bread of heaven.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed like a river in the desert.
For he remembered his holy promise
given to his servant Abraham.
He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—
that they might keep his precepts
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
In the previous readings from Psalm 105, the psalmist described the LORD’s covenant relationship with His chosen people, the descendants of Abraham. The psalm then proceeds to outline the redemption and release of the people of Israel from cruel bondage and oppression in Egypt. Today’s reading celebrates God’s provision for them in the wilderness and their arrival in the Promised Land.

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The waters of Georgian Bay, Bruce Peninsula National Park — photo by David Kitz

He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.

There is a striking parallel between the Old Testament redemption of the people of Israel and the New Testament redemption of the Christian believer. Paul, the apostle draws our attention to this parallel experience in the tenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

In today’s psalm portion we read: He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert. From Paul’s writing we understand that the opened rock was Christ. On the cross he was opened and water and blood gushed out. Life-giving—life-changing redemption flowed out to all who will receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God (John 1:12-13).

Response: Father God, I live in thanksgiving for the rock that was opened for my redemption. By faith I receive you. Today, I drink in your new life and your redemptive purpose for me. Praise the LORD! Amen.

Your Turn: Is the Rock accompanying you as you travel through the wilderness of this life?

The Rescue Mission

27 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 105, Psalms

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Reading:                                                     Psalm 105
(Verses 23-38)
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
The LORD made his people very fruitful;
he made them too numerous for their foes,
whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed his signs among them,
his wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness and made the land dark—
for had they not rebelled against his words?
He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die.
Their land teemed with frogs,
which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and gnats throughout their country.
He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land;
he struck down their vines and fig trees
and shattered the trees of their country.
He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number;
they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil.
Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of all their manhood.
He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and from among their tribes no one faltered.
Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them (NIV).

Reflection
In its entirety Psalm 105 celebrates the redemption and release of the people of Israel from cruel bondage and oppression in Egypt. They are the LORD’s called out people. That call began with Abraham and was passed down and renewed through the generations as the patriarchs had their own personal encounter with the LORD. With each succeeding generation their covenant with the LORD was reaffirmed.

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Petrie Island morning — photo by David Kitz

Today’s reading recounts the actions the LORD undertook to free His people. This psalm portion is filled with powerful verbs—action words. Take a moment to scan through them. The LORD made, sent, turned, spoke, struck and brought. He did not sit back and watch from afar. He got directly involved in rescuing His people.

Redemption takes a concerted effort. It took a determined effort to redeem and rescue Israel from Egypt. And it took a determined effort for Father God to redeem you and me from the allure of the world and the power of the devil. Redemption came at a price. It cost the life of every firstborn in Egypt. But for you and me, who live under the New Covenant, it cost the life of Jesus, God’s only Son.

Response: Father God, thank you for the effort expended to rescue me from the grip of sin. I appreciate you, Lord Jesus. You were willing to lay down your life for me. What awesome, undeserved love! Amen.

Your Turn: Do you appreciate the New Covenant that was sealed by the blood of Christ?

The Soldier Who Killed a King—A Review

17 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Christ's Passion, The Soldier Who Killed a King

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As published in Testimony Magazine, March/April Edition, 2018, reviewed by Dr. Darlene Witte-Townsend 

The Soldier Who Killed a King was voted the top book in the biblical fiction categorybiblical-fiction-award-2017_orig for 2017 by the Christian book service, Interviews and Reviews. Having recently read this book, it’s not difficult to see why. It plays like a high-stakes movie in your mind.

Canadian author, David Kitz, closely examines the events occurring between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and his resurrection a few days later. But we see all these events from a unique perspective—through the eyes of a Roman soldier.

This engaging, hard-hitting narrative is a distillation of Kitz’s study and prayer over a 50-year span, when as pastor, educator and Bible dramatist, he steeped himself in the wonder of this story. As a novelist, he reveals profound respect for the historical record through his characterization of Marcus Longinus, a Roman centurion who is unwillingly caught in the power struggles of the day. Furthermore, Kitz stays true to the scriptural account by integrating more than a hundred quotes from the Gospels into the story text.

Three corrupt men, Herod Antipas, “the Fox,” Pontius Pilate, “the Badger,” and Joseph Caiaphas, “the Weasel” have an insatiable lust for money and power. They each attempt to use the political tumult of the time for their own gain. In contrast to the stench of their machinations, Kitz offers a deep sense of Jesus, the donkey-riding King, as the man in whom all of heaven is invested. Jesus emerges in the Roman world offering an entirely new way for humankind to be reborn.

Above all else, this is a story of personal redemption. Marcus, the Roman Centurion is like us, caught between worlds. Who is his king? Why?

The Son of God shows unlimited compassion through healing the sick and feeding the hungry, and his purity catches the attention of the masses in a drama that still shakes the world, one aching, open, humble heart at a time. Do you need to rediscover the power of the cross? The Soldier Who Killed a King will take you there.

How great are your works, LORD!

13 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 92, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 92

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.
(Verses 1-8)
It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, LORD,
how profound your thoughts!
Senseless people do not know,
fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.
But you, LORD, are forever exalted (NIV).

Reflection
Why is music such a central part of the Christian worship experience? For the answer to that question we need to look no further than the opening lines of Psalm 92. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

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Snow covered lamp post — photo by David Kitz

 To put it simply, praising the LORD is a good thing. Making music to honor the name of the Most High is a wholesome expression of our love for God. Furthermore, the LORD approves the use of musical instruments. The harp and the lyre are mentioned here, but there is no scriptural reason to limit the use of instruments.

Why do men sing love songs? Because they love the woman of their dreams—the object of their affection. The same holds true when we fall in love with God. The LORD becomes the object of our deepest affection. He is worthy of our praise.

Do you need some reasons to praise God? The psalmist provides us with some sound reasons: For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! 

If the marvels of creation are insufficient to prompt us to praise, then consider for a moment the wonders of redemption. God sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die on our behalf. He purchased our eternal redemption with the shed blood of Jesus. Oh what love! What wondrous love! It makes me want to break out in song.

Response: LORD God, every morning I want to praise you. Thank you for the gift of music. Help me use my voice and every talent you have given me to express my praise to you. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you enjoy praising God? Do you save your praise for Sundays or is it expressed daily?

 Holy and Awesome

04 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 111, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Skaters on the Rideau Canal, Ottawa, ON, Canada — photo by David Kitz

He has shown his people the power of his works,
    giving them the lands of other nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established for ever and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome is his name.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
    To him belongs eternal praise.

(Psalm 111:6-10, NIV)