Do you have anything to praise God for on this Wednesday?  You’d better believe you do!  You have manifold reasons, both big a small, to praise your Creator.  Even if you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, you have lavishly experienced His common grace in the world around you and should return thanks to God, and if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you’ve got eternal thanks to lift up to God as He’s shown you special grace through redemption.  Get a jump start on all the praising you’ll do in Heaven now!

And I have just the song that’ll help you do that.  Today’s worship offering to you is “I Will Glory in My Redeemer.”  It was written by Steve and Vikki Cook in 2000 and published through Sovereign Grace Music.  It’s a modern hymn with a full Christ-focused center.

Are you ready to glory in Jesus Christ?  Then sing along:

VERSE 1
I will glory in my Redeemer
Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the holy Judge
The Lamb who is my righteousness
The Lamb who is my righteousness

VERSE 2
I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I’m satisfied in Him alone
I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace

VERSE 3
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagles’ wings
He crowns my life with lovingkindness
His triumph song I’ll ever sing
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me, it will be paradise
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold

____________________

The phrase that is repeated several times in this song is “I will glory in my Redeemer.”  It would probably help us if we fully understood what it is to “glory” and to have a “redeemer.”

We don’t usually use glory as a verb, but it means to rejoice proudly in something.  It’s to be eaten up with wonder and awe and joy because of the impact something has had on you.  It’s to unashamedly boast in something.  One can glory in many things, but that which we should most glory in is that which this song sings about—our Redeemer.

A redeemer is one who frees somebody from captivity by purchasing him.  It’s a financial term from the context of a culture that had slavery, which is the vast majority of cultures in the history of the world, even today.  Whether you and I realize it or not, we are born enslaved to sin, and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Jesus frees from captivity all who will believe on Him.

So, putting the two ideas together, just picture for a moment being a slave in antebellum America.  Now picture a man purchasing you and then setting you free.  What a happy day that would be!  And, you would certainly glory in that redeemer.  Even more so should we glory in the Redeemer whose purchase of us has eternal consequences.  He’s purchased us and set us free so that we might enjoy God forever!  Glory, indeed!!

Verse 1  points to the glorious fact that Jesus didn’t use gold, silver, or dollars to buy us from slavery.  He used His “priceless” blood.  Every one of us must take ownership in His death.  He died for the ones who killed Him.  Glory!  And in doing so, He crushed the power of sin and death, freeing us from slavery.

Verse 2 points to the glorious security we have in Jesus Christ.  Because He purchased us, He owns us.  He’ll always will keep us and will never forsake us, vanquishing our foes and firmly holding us by His grace.

The final verse looks to some of the future blessings given to us through the redemption found in Jesus:  divine support, loving-kindness, victory, and heaven.  There in heaven, we’ll actually behold the face of God (Rev 22:4).  Glory!

May this Wednesday be a glorious one as you glory in your Redeemer!