Understanding a Ransom

According to the dictionary, a RANSOM is the price paid to deliver or redeem someone from bondage; the deliverance or rescue.

As a Christian I have often heard (and thought I understood) that I was ransomed by Jesus.  The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and I am a sinner (Romans 3:23).  I, however, did not have to die because Jesus died for me (John 3:16).  All rather neat and tidy, when you're sitting in Sunday School reading learning about it.

But there was nothing neat and tidy about it.  It took a man, giving his life, so that I could live.  He had to leave His Father and His home, voluntarily lay aside His heavenly authority and take on the frail shell of a man, and submit to death one Friday afternoon.  He was spit on, laughed at, ridiculed, beaten, and murdered.  All so I wouldn't have to be.

And then -- HE AROSE!

This past Easter was more victorious to me than those in years past.  Why?  Because I understood just a little bit more about a ransom.  My heart was able to embrace the victory of redemption just a little bit more than it had in the past.

Why?

Because of ADOPTION.  Adoption is the ransoming of a life.  A precious life.  A forgotten life.  An important life.  A neglected life.  A valuable life...that has been devalued.

What man sees is not what God sees.  God has a different vision.  God is calling forward an army to make a difference.  If only 7% of Christians stepped up to the plate to adopt, we'd see a new world with no orphans.

Will you help?  A ransom is costly, but worth it.  You can pray, you can shout loudly for these kids, you can join a missions team, you can help raise the ransom for a family who will go and redeem them, or you can go yourself.  But please, understand that you have been ransomed, and you can help ransom someone else!