Casandra Martin

He stopped in the middle of the song. The words to the song by Fred Fillmore still resonated in the air as the crowd paused as he tried to get everyone’s attention,

I know, I know that my Redeemer lives,

I know, I know eternal life He gives;

I know, I know that my Redeemer lives.

“This song is good news,” he said. “Jesus lives! Surely that is a reason to smile and celebrate.” The singing started again, but this time with more intensity. The words sank into my heart a little more deeply, the truth of it rang a little more clearly as I sang. I know my Redeemer lives. That one fact makes all the difference.

The words for this song come from the heart of Job. Faced with unspeakable suffering, he hung his hope on the truth that he knew that his redeemer lives. Knowing this gave him peace, ignited joy, inspired worship, and was a catalyst for courage. Knowing this truth should do the same for me.

No matter what the day brings, how dark the night becomes, how deep the pit is, or how high the mountain we face, knowing that our Redeemer lives should change how we face the moment. In the end, victory is ours. It is finished, assured, and guaranteed by God Himself. Jesus has defeated death, crushed sin, and broken the stranglehold of Satan. The empty tomb proclaims again and again that He has the power, the love, and the resolve to hold me safely by His side.

My Jesus Resolution today is to celebrate the good news that my Redeemer lives. What we sing on Sunday should teach us how to live differently during the week. I don’t have to let life’s circumstances color my vision or cast deep shadows on my heart. Hard things come our way, but they are not the end of the story. Jesus lives! Because I know the One who has conquered death, I don’t have to be defeated by life.