We are preparing to launch my 17th book which is titled “Overflowing: Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture.”
Launching a book is no small feat in this day and age … but we love sharing my new literary “baby” with the world!
So I thought I would share with you just a small nugget from this new book scheduled to be released in June.
If it whets your appetite in any way at all … perhaps you would consider pre-ordering a copy on Amazon or on our website.
So … put your feet up … fix a cup of tea or coffee … and enjoy this gift … from my overflowing heart to yours.
Overflowing: Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12–14)
We have so much for which to show our gratitude to God, and His eternal rescue of us is chief among the blessings. God sent Jesus, His only Son, on a rescue mission. You were the intended target of this mission. Jesus Christ broke the evil power of Satan, snatched us out of the domain of darkness, and deposited us eternally in the kingdom of light.
The Greek word for “rescue” Paul uses in this passage is harpadzo, an extremely strong and aggressive word that describes a desperate and forceful action. Harpadzo includes passion, fervency, urgency, and action in its meaning. One Greek expositor asserts that harpadzo carries this idea, “He grabbed us by the back of our necks and snatched us out of danger just in the nick of time.”
I have a dear high school friend who served in the military for nearly thirty-five years. He loves America and was proud to serve our nation across many continents and during different conflicts. At our recent high school class reunion, he told me whenever someone thanks him for his service, he simply replies by saying, “You were worth it.”
You were worth rescuing, my friend. You were worth it. In the heart of God the Father, you were worth it. In the eyes of Jesus, the Son, you were worth it.
During my formative years, I dealt with fear nearly every day of my life. Around the neighborhood of my small town, I was known as a “scaredy cat.” I was afraid of spiders, mean people, and the neighbor’s dog. I was afraid of walking alone, the mice in our barn, and riding my sister’s horse. I was terrified of spending the night at a friend’s house, riding my bike on a friendly country road, and what not eating vegetables might do to me. But most significantly of all, I was afraid of the dark.
I could not fall asleep unless someone was in the room with me. My parents left a small light on in every room of the house, so if I got up to go to the bathroom, I wouldn’t be frightened. The dark seemed evil and foreboding; I just knew that I, as a small child, was no match for the dark.
As an adult woman, I still don’t much care for the dark but no longer am I intimidated by it. The reason for my change of heart is an obvious one: Jesus rescued me from darkness and transferred me to the kingdom of light. Now, I live and move and have my being in Him and in all that He is.
I have learned on my journey through life that when light and darkness battle against each other, light always wins. Always. Darkness is unable to prevail against one small match, a tiny candle, or even a wee lamp. You and I now live in that victorious kingdom of perpetual and brilliant light!
There are some Bible words that might be considered “Christianese,” archaic, or even coldly religious. The word “redeemed” might fit under that austere and antiquated category unless, of course, you are willing to take the time to understand its meaning and appreciate its wealth.
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12–14)
Redemption has a rich meaning retrieved from the earliest pages of the Old Testament.
Israel had been held hostage in Egypt for more than four hundred years and their lot was to serve as slaves in this foreign nation. God sent ten plagues upon this heathen nation to convince the leadership to let His people go. The final scourge that visited Egypt was the death of all their firstborn sons. While every firstborn son in every Egyptian family died, the children of the Isra- elites were rescued because the Israelites had placed the blood of a lamb upon their doorframes. This is when the story of redemption begins in Scripture.
Redemption means to “buy back” or “to save from captivity by paying a ransom.”
God chose to repurchase us by offering His Son as the sacrifice. The blood of Jesus is on the doorpost of your life; you have been marked as “saved” or “redeemed” by the One who knows you best and loves you the most.
Doesn’t that cause your heart to overflow with gratitude to the One who redeemed you, rescued you, and delivered you from darkness?
His Name is Jesus and His heart is overflowing with love for you.”
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Carol McLeod Ministries
Featured Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
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