Join Claudia for this edition of Firmly Rooted Friday as she talks about the power of living unashamed. Let’s praise God together for his work of redemption.

The Power of Living Unashamed

If you know me, you know I love coffee and not just in general but rather coffee and I are in a very committed relationship. When it is cold outside, I drink it hot and when it is warm outside, I drink it cold. Actually, if I am honest, I will drink coffee any way I can get it. This verse in Psalms reminds me of my coffee addiction but in a very good way. 

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Psalm 34:1 ESV

Now that is a lot of praise.

How in the world do we expect to accomplish this? Let’s remember what is happening to David as he wrote this Psalm. He is a warrior for God being chased down by King Saul who refuses to obey the Lord and seeks to kill David. David was running for his life. Wow! I do not have anyone chasing me down to kill me. Even on the days when it feels like I do.

But it was true for David and his continual praise came from a heart submitted to the promises of God. God ordered the high priest to anoint him king and the Lord had used him mightily before; he had no reason to doubt the promises of God. I don’t either. I have the tangible gift of salvation through Christ with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwelling inside me. Jesus the hope of glory loves me. How can I not praise him with unceasing and unyielding praise?

As we move through this Psalm, we are taken from a praise party right into a place of asking and receiving. This is where we can begin living in the realm of the unashamed. Imagine that, being alive in this fallen world yet living without shame. 

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”

Psalm 34:4-5 ESV

What a promise!

No matter what comes our way we have a way of escape through the power of forgiveness and redemption. Don’t get it twisted, this is not a license to sin but rather an invitation to faithfully walk with God and reap the promise. When we stumble and fall, we are to immediately get up, run to the cross, repent, and embrace the love of God through his work of forgiveness. God remains faithful to deliver us from ourselves. We can trust him. 

Can you remember your first trip to a commissary?

It was a mixture of delight and sheer terror. Delight because after eating non-descript food for many years I was thrilled to eat something with a name brand on it. The commissary was like a circus and I was the kid with all the tickets! 

What most impressed me were the coupons. They were actually zip-tied to the shelves right next to the food item. What madness is this? No hunting and cutting or remembering to actually bring the coupon. I had a fistful by the time I got to the checkout. Remember earlier I said, “a mixture of delight and sheer terror”? The sheer terror was the fact that I had to wait in line for a shopping cart.

Then, after collecting all those coupons, I had to join the checkout line snaking up and down too many aisles and into the frozen food section. Redeeming those coupons came with a cost–the cost of my time, effort, and energy. But it felt good, y’all! I was all about redeeming every coupon I saw. I even bought stuff because there was a coupon. Coupons make us feel like we are winning and who doesn’t love to win? 

Redemption is winning! 

I know Jesus is not a coupon, he’s our Savior. I am not comparing the work on the cross with a 50 cent off coupon for milk. Our redemption was bought with the shed blood of Christ, nothing thrifty about that. When God redeems us, he takes our past and makes it naught. He handles our present with mercy and grace and our future is secure in the work of the Cross. Redemption is powerful and it is ours from the Lord. 

“The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”

Psalm 34:22 ESV

The truth of God’s Word delivers us again and again.

We only need to yield to it again and again. Redemption is life-giving through the blood of Christ. Once we receive the gift of salvation the work of redemption begins and never stops. Most mornings before I even open my eyes I whisper this prayer to the Lord, “Thank you for the shed blood of Christ that is redeeming me.” I depend on the never-ceasing power of redemption in my everyday life because I need it. It is so hard to not get tangled in the issues of this life. There is a struggle going on within us as we decide to trust or fret, to show gratitude or grumble, to forgive or retaliate.  Do not allow the everyday stuff to overshadow the work of Christ in your life. 

What about you, saint?

Are you leaning into the presence of a holy God? Are you living unashamed? Are you claiming the power of redemption through the shed blood of Christ? If not, why not? 

This brief walk through Psalm 34 reminds me that there will always be more of Jesus to understand and take to heart. The knowledge of the things of God is vast.

Praying that as you seek him, the one who loves you well, you will find more than you were even looking for. God is so good like that. We can praise him continuously because the power of God’s redemption enables us to live unashamed. 

<>< Claudia

For more encouragement from the Psalms, don’t miss the three promises Claudia share from Psalm 18.