‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you'

I was involved in a correspondence recently during which the issue of siblings was raised, and how we suspected that there is a point in the life of every brother and sister when they question which child their parents love more.

Did her birthday present cost more than mine? Did dad go to more rugby matches that my hockey matches? Why does mum always shout at me and not my sister? Maybe some of the familiar questions siblings ask, with a variety of responds from a direct, “Well now you mention it, yes we do love your sister more than you.” Cruel it may be, but in regards to a student I was talking to the other day; it certainly reflected their own experience.

Another response may be “O Don't be silly dear, of course your father and I love you equally.” Yet some how the seeds of doubt remain!

Not only are those questions asked in our childhood but sometimes through our adulthood too. This sense of comparing how much we are loved and valued is not something that we restrict to our siblings or our parents, but to God as well. So often we forget the genuine depths of God's love for us and allow our insecurities to raise questions of doubt about our relationship with him and His relationship with us.

We compare our spirituality with others, “I wish I had a faith like that,” “I wish my prayer life was as dynamic as theirs,” “I wish God would notice me as much as he notices them.” I wish, I wish I wish… Yet often in our wishing we miss the reality of the moment. We look to what others think, sometimes because we are too scared to look and reflect on our own relationship with God, we might think about whether God loves our neighbour more than us, but we rarely ask the question, in fear of the answer.

Yet page after page in the scriptures we are reminded of God's love for His creation, of which humanity, is the crown, as we are made in the image and the likeness of God. Too often we forget that we are precious in His sight, honoured, and loved.

If we needed reminding Isaiah 43, is a beautiful example that once again reveals how Yahweh is deeply devoted to Israel, a devotion that persists despite their disobedience and faithlessness.

Yahweh remains wholeheartedly committed to His children as the prophet opens the chapter “ But thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel .” Yahweh reminds us that He is uncompromisingly sovereign, whilst remaining uncompromisingly in love with his creation.

“ Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, you are mine .”

Do not fear , there are times in our lives when we feel lost, times when we feel abandoned, there are times when we feel we've let the side down, but God's first response to us is to encourage us not to fear. Yes, we may receive words of rebuke, as we face up to the reality of some of the mistakes we make, yet the rebuke comes in the context of love, not fear.

For I have redeemed you, the fact that Yahweh has redeemed us, is evidence enough of His sacrificial love for us, indeed the North American religious writer Catherine Marshall said “Only joyous love redeems.” The word redeem refers to family intervention, when an older member of the family, steps into ensure the well-being of a younger, weaker member. Yahweh, God has stepped in to your life to ensure your well being in the context of eternity.

I have called you by your name, is the language of adoption. Rob Bell, writes, “ In the Ancient Near East your name was more than just words. Name was identity. Your name was reflective of your character, your substance, I mean the very fibre that made you, you. Your name told you who you are .” Israel is now fully identified with, belongs to and is cherished by Yahweh. Indeed Calvin observes, “God refused to be deprived of his possession.”

You are mine, this is no normal relationship but a relationship of great intimacy, that will sustain even in present troubles. The poet speaks of waters and fire, perhaps with reference to the water of the Exodus, or perhaps even the ancient practice of “ordeal” whereby accused persons are submitted to the testing of water and fire. For the modern Christian such language will prompt images of the sacrament of baptism in which the individual is inducted into the protective care of God; For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour, once again places the relationship in its appropriate context.

“ Do not be fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, you are mine .”

What was true for the Israelites in exile remains true to the exilic church today, for we like our ancient ancestors are a people living in exile, not sent by God as a result of His wrath, but as a result of a living in the midst of a secular world. We find ourselves being pulled and tempted by all around us, yet the promise of scripture remains true today. Yes there are times when we question God's love for us, but the question is not due to a lack of God's love for us, but because we have limited our love for Him.

As we come to this mid point of Lent and the shadows of Golgotha draw closer, we need to find the courage to lay aside our worries about what others think of us, we need to re-discover and embrace our true selves, in the light of His love and we need to find space to block out the noisiness of the world and hear once again the promise of scripture that reveals the heart of God for you, “ Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, you are mine .”