REDEEMED June 20, 2020

The Word today in Isaiah chapter 54 tells us of GOD’s mercy and redemption of the “barren woman” and the “forsaken land.”

I am reminded of a friend who said he will not get married because when he does, his focus will only be on his own nuclear family, and he will have lesser chance to care for and support the families of his own siblings, them being many.  And I am also reminded of the sacrifices of old bachelors and spinsters who forego having families of their own to care for older and ailing parents, and oftentimes, physically and mentally incapacitated siblings.  The world may see the unmarried (it is harder for the women than the men) in derision, often saying there may be something wrong with their attitudes, that is why nobody ever asked them to marry, or saw them worthy to build their own families with.  Then too, there are those who have longed their entire lives to have children of their own, but sadly GOD has not blessed them with any.

But we see in GOD’s word, particularly in the first verse, that the barren woman will be blessed by GOD with more children than her who has given birth herself.  And I see it happening every day around me.  Some aunts and uncles and friends who remain single for life or those who were married but were not able to give birth, were in fact able to help and support more nephews and nieces, and were even able to support other children who are not blood relations, more than if they had their own.  Maybe because absent the relational pressures of caring for and raising a husband or a wife (for the unmarried), and/or your own children from whom you demand more and who demands more of you than 24/7 caring, attention, nourishment and sustenance—be it physical, emotional, mental or spiritual—we single aunts and uncles and those who have no kids who constantly break us emotionally every day by disobedience, ungratefulness and unfaithfulness, can actually enlarge our hearts and extend our hands further to accommodate more of the world’s needs.

The word continues on discussing about the blessings and grace for those who have chosen not to give the other half of themselves to another person, or those who were refused, or those who became widows.  Because they dedicate themselves to being all that GOD wants them to be, alone and independently, He promised to take away the shame the world inflicts upon them and will forever shower them with His protection, grace and mercy.

Barrenness is also a metaphor for the forsaken land—a physical land, a nation, a people—who, because of disease, war, climate catastrophes, corruption and greed, became polluted, damaged and desolate.  GOD promises redemption and mercy, when they would teach all their children about Him (verse 13), after which He says they will have great peace, be established in righteousness, and be free and safe from fear and terror.

In our world today, in spite of the high death toll from the pandemic, population experts are expecting a population boom because of the lockdowns, but social scientists are also expecting deteriorations in relationships and social networks, while other experts are having doubts about the future of our food security, governmental systems and economies.  These are troubling and stressful times, and yes, engaging in social network communication, sharing jokes and memes, and making use of apps for senseless fun can relieve some of that but that is just a manifestation that the person has nothing else but a little more than a victim mentality.  For one to be able to rise and be a true survivor to life’s many challenges, one has to engage on a higher level—intellectually, psychologically, emotionally—and do more creative things to encourage others, to feed their minds with wholesome and godly thoughts and ideas, to uplift their souls, and to push them to better themselves too.

Therefore, a person who himself desires to survive better in these difficult times must not only be working to earn a living and spend his or her downtimes on mindless pursuits.  That person must also be an extension of the Redeemer, and give all he has—whether developed talents, skills, or as-yet undiscovered gifts—to help others get deliverance from the slump they are in too.  The truly redeemed indeed, are not a herd of victims, but a band of strong survivors who can stand amidst the world’s tribulations, and lead others to their own redemption.