Redemption Parable

I remember as a child singing the hymn written by James Rowe and titled “Redeemed” with the refrain bouncing off the walls of our country church and settling into my spirit, 

I’m redeemed by love divine!
Glory, glory! Christ is mine, Christ is mine! 
All to Him I now resign, resign
I have been redeemed, redeemed!

Redemption Parable
One day vicious raiders from the north country raided our village. They broke into all our houses, stealing all the precious items our families had worked hard to provide. The men were ruthless and merciless.

They killed most who were able to fight. The old, sick, and crippled they treated with no pity. Young girls and women were raped. Then the houses were burned. Crops in the fields were trampled and burned. All our animals were stolen or slaughtered. The helpless were deemed worthless and left with nothing but to die.

I was captured along with all the strong young men and women. We were roped together and forced to walk the long distance in bare feet. Many of my people died on the journey.

Upon arrival in their strange cold land, they fed us as a man would fatten a hog for slaughter. Then they gave us water to wash, burned our old rags, and gave us clean clothes yet made of coarse hair.

This land was strange to us. The food was a rancid stew with turnips and cabbage leaves boiled in swine fat. The weather was harsh to our senses. But most of all, the agony of never being free was the worst of our pain.

The auction day arrived, and the bidding began. The wealthy buyers were setting the price high with their bidding. Many of the buyers looked cruel and mean. Our hearts sank into deep despair of our future or lack of one worth telling.

Finally, it was my time. They pulled the shirt from my back so they could see my strength. My mouth was forced open so they could see my teeth. I was told to jump to show my solid bones.

Then the bidding started. “Hundred now two! Two, do I hear two and a half.” The bidding rose because I was strong. The sum was called at a thousand, at a price that most only shook their heads.

The bidder of a thousand looked cruel and mean as if he had just crawled from the pits of Hell. His face was pale, and his eyes looked like boiled blood. The lips of his mouth were thin and curled into a smirk. His black robbed arms held a coil of whip in one and a rusty chain in the other. My life was doomed with no way out. My heart melted with its substance flowing out as bitter tears.

I was done with none to help. My life was doomed as one feels the flames of Hell burning hot. I was facing the death of ten thousand days, stealing my youth and vigor.

Then from the back strolled a man to the front. The crowd parted His entrance with honor due to a king. His eyes were coal black, with hair to his shoulders. He had a pleasant smile, yet with a determined look. He was arrayed in royal clothing as a King not from these lands. He held up his hand and the auctioneer asked, “What be your bid?”

He answered, “I will give all that I Am for the one on the block.” The auctioneer said, “He is not worth the price, does your bid still stand?”

“I have given it all!” He spoke. The evil bidder of a thousand sleeked away as a snake in utter shame.

“Come get your slave,” the auctioneer said to the Royal Man, “at that price, you can take the chains!”

The kind Master said, “I’ll not need the chains, set him free.”

I came down from the block, not knowing what had transpired. I went to the Master who bid the high price. He looked at me with love and a smile, and said, “I have redeemed your life with Mine, you are now set free!”

I said, “I am free but in a strange land with no path to home. Where can I go? What am I to do?”

He simply said, “Follow me! You will live with Me in My royal kingdom and be My chosen son. I hereby adopt you into My family. You will live as My child, inheriting all I own. Follow Me and never look back.”

I interrupted Him, “Sir, you gave all for me, what more do you have?

He answered with a glorious smile, “All is mine! Follow Me and reign as a child of a King!

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,/ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV).

Lutroo the Greek word for redeemed means to pay a ransom price for the liberation of another. It is exactly like buying a slave to set him free.

Yours on the Journey,

Harry L. Whitt