Who's place is it to redeem?

We went to a cell group last night for all the workers/volunteers of Salvation Army  (SA) and and any one else who wants to come.  They do this every Thursday.  As we were worshipping, a drunk homeless guy starting singing Johnny Cash songs.  Some of the words were actually applicable.   Those in the room graciously accepted where he was at and at one point let him finish one of his songs.  There was a prayer time for anyone who wanted to express a prayer need for corporate prayer.  This gentleman piped up and said he was an alcoholic  (that much was pretty obvious).  He didn’t want to go to a rehab center, but he wanted to go to church.  Turns out one of the workers found him laying on the ground in front of a building she was coming out of on her way to this meeting and he told her he wanted to go to church, so she brought him.  He got prayer, said he had never felt love before.  Did he get instantly sober?  Don’t know.   Did he get all his prayers answered? Probably not.  Did he feel the presence of the Lord?  I believe without a doubt he did.

Man cannot redeem himself.  None of us could redeem that guy.  My flesh wanted to go thru all kinds of gymnastic hoops to get that guy right with God. We must all trust and believe that Redemption is God’s place.  God’s redemption is absolutely finished and complete.  Anything we do in the flesh is temporary and usually fails.  I would love for that guy to become instantly sober, but it is in God’s hands.

Every night but Friday’s the directors of SA have a community meal at their apartment.  They never know who is going to show up, or how many, but everyone is welcome.  We have been to their meals the last two nights.  There is an amazing amount of acceptance and giving there.  Not much food, but everything else is in abundance.

1 Corth 5:20, 21                 We are Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making His appeal thru us.  We implore you on Christs behalf;  Be reconciled to God,  God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God