REDEMPTION

A farmer lost his farm.  He loved his farm very much, but due to failing crops the Bank repossessed it.  The poor man dreamed for years about getting it back, but he had no money, neither any prospects for ever getting it back.  But his dream would not go away. He worked on a leased ground, not enjoying it since it was not his.

Years passed, the farmer grew older and weaker, yet his dream of repossessing his land did not go away.  The more he advanced in years the more this feeling of loss became unbearable. Everyone in the village knew his story and felt pity for the aging man. He lost his wife to a strange disease and his sons ran to the glittering cities in search of worldly attractions.  The old man spent his years in loneliness. No family. No land. No real friends.  

The farm was beautifully situated and was coveted by many. A nice piece of land surrounded by hills, trees and streams.  A piece of paradise, but lost.  The dream would not go away, it was gnawing at the core of the old man.  The land changed hands and its value increased.  Upon learning the worth of the man's old farm, his heart sunk into despair since his savings kept loosing its worth each day.  The bankers pitied the old stubborn man but would not give him a loan.  Yet they carefully observed how he diligently kept on saving his earnings.  Banks prospered and the bankers were the land-owners now.  One of the bankers was always trying to cheer the old man up but the bitter farmer would not react.  

Time moved on and the banker began to sympathise with the pain of the old man.  Now he himself could not get any sleep, seeing the pitiful farmer each night before his eyes.  The banker tried to busy himself with other important matters, but the sight of the old man would not vanish.  One day, the banker decided to review the case of the farmer and then realized the injustice done to the poor fellow.  Now his own life was a miserable one.  Something began to eat at his conscience.  All of a sudden he decided to free himself from the undeserved guilt.  The banker himself was the owner of the property for he held the title deed to that miserable piece of land.  He decided to secretly transfer it to the name of the old farmer making him the sole owner of the land just to free himself from the guilty feeling. Then he secretly placed the title in one of the banks' safe, never mentioning it to the old man.  As usual the farmer kept depositing his meager earnings into his account.  The banker tried to cheer him up, but the farmer would not budge, as usual.  The banker sought relief but the relief would not smile on him.  

Weeks passed.  The old farm had his farm redeemed, the price was paid, the property was legally his again, but he did not know it.  One day the banker sent a boy to him with a message: "The farm is legally yours, come and get the paper".  Upon hearing it the old man shouted: "Get away from me, you little rat, making sport of an old man."
"But really," the boy pleaded. 

"Get out of here."The man screamed.  The boy returned to the banker.  

"Well, what did he say?”  

"He threw me out," the boy complained.  

"He threw you out? Is he crazy? I can't believe it. He himself is miserable and he makes my life miserable too."  

A special meeting was arranged with the farmer at the bank.  All the bankers gathered around the old man as he stared at their secretive grins.  "What's going on?", he thought to himself.  His hands were perspiring and his forehead was moistened with tiny droplets.  "Mr. Farmer, the director of the bank wishes to present you with a gift" - an announcement was made.  One of the employees was sent to the safe and the document was presented to the farmer on a silver platter.  "Please open it", the director asked.  With trembling hands, the man opened it and replied "I can't read".  The director said, "It says that the title deed for your farm, which you lost many years ago, now belong again to you, Sir."  

"What?” exclaimed the farmer in total shock?
"Yes, it's true, it is all yours," said the director.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," everyone nodded in excitement.
"You have your farm back, it is totally yours forever."

The furrows on the man's face plowed by sun, wind, and time now became as streams - filled with tears. The old man kept wiping them off with his trembling hand.
"I am the owner!" - he shouted. And for the first time in many years a happy smile appeared on his face.  He hugged everyone, asking each "Did you do it?  Did you?” Then he reached out toward his benefactor and learned the truth. He hugged him and sobbed on his shoulder. The benefactor himself could hardly restrain his own tears for his own ordeal was over as well.

Legally, the old man had had no right to his land before, but by the mercy of one man the law was satisfied. By accepting the hidden reality as truth the farmer found himself in the possession of that which was rightfully his, now deeded to him personally.

* * *

So did Jesus for us.  He paid the legal price, redeemed us from death and now upon learning about it we become one with our Father, the law-giver, and the law has been satisfied or fulfilled.  Now we are in the kingdom of God, our Father by learning His ways the result is in sanctification.  The word "holy" means dedicated only to one thing.  As a wife is holy unto her husband and the husband is holy unto his wife.  Being holy unto the Lord means to be separated and totally dedicated to Him each day and this brings sanctification which in turn leads to the restoration of all things.