“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27).
A real turning point in the life of the Hellams' family came back in 1994 when we took a huge step of faith--stepping away from a secure position in the local church, moving 400 miles away from family and friends, leaving a home that we designed, built, and had nearly paid off, and relocating with no promise of employment. I had multiple degrees already that had prepared me for service in the local church. Tena was an established schoolteacher. Katie was nine and John was four. But the Lord pushed us out of our comfort zones and to a new place for seminary training.
The assurance of a living Redeemer was never so real to us as it was in the early days and months following the move. We were reminded daily that the One who brought us to this new place would provide for all of our needs. The star and manger scene on our Christmas tree in that small apartment had new meaning and shone brighter than ever.
Our Redeemer was giving us hope, just as He had given Job--not the watered down "hope so" that we hear daily, but absolute trust in the living God. For every believer before and after Job, there is a Redeemer who is faithful and true. We know him as Jesus. He is standing for us now and will continue to stand for us until the last day. What joy this blest assurance gives!
Tom and Tena Hellams joined First Baptist Nashville in 2008 and are members of the Sanctuary Choir. Married for 29 years, they are the proud parents of Katie, an emergency room nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center and a student summer staffer at First Baptist, and John, currently a sophomore at Western Kentucky University and a student ministry intern at First Baptist. Tena is a former schoolteacher, and Tom is the Vice President of Executive Communications and Relations at LifeWay Christian Resources.
The audio version of today's devotional was recorded by Kyle Cantrell.
