I would redeem them but they speak lies against me. They do not cry to Me from their heart when they wail on their beds. Hosea 7:13-14 

I want every place of pain in my life redeemed, don’t you? I don’t want the tragedies to remain tragedies. With God’s supernatural touch, they can be transformed and turned for good in front of my very eyes. But, there is a qualification for redemption. It’s this. It is cooperative. I must believe and expect. God is then released to work on my behalf. My internal language of prayer must be of a faith vernacular. 

How do I cooperate then? God says something critical that should catch my attention. “I would redeem them but they speak lies against me.” As soon as I recall the litany of hopeless chatter that used to exit my mouth, I recognize the lies. I had not set a watch over my tongue, taking every thought captive before it turned into words. 

This is just hopeless. It will never turn around. 

God can’t forgive this, not this. 

How dare God let this happen to me! He’s doesn’t love me. 

I know God is supposed to be powerful, but even this is too much for Him to do. 

As long as these words defined my lack of faith, I did not know redemption. It’s often interesting to paraphrase a converse of Scripture. While it isn’t always successful, today I believe it is. So, consider this. “I will redeem them if they speak the truth about me.” Ah, this has the ring of other scriptures, does it not? Before I lay on my bed and wail because I feel I deserve better, or wail because I believe God is anemic, let me consider the acceptable alternative. I can remember that I am not God.

My perceptions and beliefs do not define reality. God’s words do and I will speak words of faith that declare the riches of His character and the power that rests in His right hand. Then and only then, can I await my promised redemption. 

If I’m going to cry, let me cry for the joy of You. Let the tears fall for being privileged enough to live amidst the wonder of Your many redemptions. Amen