Redemption

Yes, I am a huge men's college basketball fan. And that is why I am excited about this year's Olypmic games... so many former ACC players (a Dukie grad too) and the bonus of Coach K... makes it so much fun!

Last night I watched the ESPN, 'Road to Redemption', series for the team. They are hailing our team as the 'Redeem Team' this year. Can they redeem respect for the United States in the world as being number #1 in basketball?! That is the question for Beijing this year.

I cannot help but consider how the church uses the words redeem and redemption. We don't place our hopes on overpaid NBA players to save us from ourselves, to help us gain respect, or to put us back in a place of honor with God. Instead we understand and believe that one Jewish guy from a tiny town in Northern Israel did that for you, me and everyone in history & future history.

The road to redemption for us was Jesus' walk through Jerusalem while carrying a part of his cross and then dying on that cross. The road didn't end there but continued to a borrowed tomb where he was buried. The road, as we state in our creeds, led Jesus into the darkest valley- hell itself, and then back out again when he rose from the dead.

Gratefully, we don't have to walk the road Jesus did. We have other sorts of crosses/sacrfices to carry. But we are forever changed by the gift Jesus' redeeming work has accomplished for us. We can stand tall with God's blessing as God's children. And that is worth more than any gold medal the world has to offer.