Ransomed with Him. Isaiah 35:10

  "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." NKJV
  "Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness." JCB

  A hostage no more.
  A hostage to what? Of whom?
 
  I read through a few of my posts yesterday reflecting on everything that has taken place over the last little while. I write about having a relationship with the Lord frequently. Then I wondered, how is it possible to have a relationship with an invisible Being? Doesn't a relationship require the interaction of two people?
  God may be invisible but He is tangible.

  Imagine a tree by a lake. It's a big tree that reaches to the sky. Its leaves are lush and green because it's early summer. They whisper praises in the breeze. A mosquito buzzes by with that annoying, high pitched whine. An ear slap fails to eradicate it so it buzzes by again.
  By standing at the foot of the tree, there are lumps of ancient tree roots pressed against running shoe soles. Water and microscopic nutrients are being carried up the roots of the tree. Oxygen is being pumped out by the tree's leaves. The waste of photosynthesis sustains life.
  The lake caresses the shore with a quiet, thrush-hush sound. A fish jumps, splashing noisily down. Beneath the water there are tadpoles and tiny, one celled creatures going about the business of living.
  Off in the distance a bird sings.
  A squirrel voices her displeasure at the trespasser by the foot of the tree.
  An airplane flies overhead, skinny white clouds pointing to its presence long before any engine sounds reaches the ground.
  The wind, the blue sky, the stars that are hidden by the sun, the planets, the galaxies, the cosmos stretch beyond the beyond...a pebble clatters in the small waves.
  Life. Breaths going in and out. A heart thumping.
  An infusion of awe and wonder fills the soul. And an inexpressible joy.

  This is one way I connect with Him, through the appreciation of all the good things He created. It's humbling at the same time to think of the times long past and the times yet to come that led to the very moment I stood under the tree by the lake in a fanciful burst of imagination.
  God is present. Always. In all things. He is present in our connection with His Spirit, and His community. He is present in those day to day moments we decide to slow down and be fully present in the moment.
  His moment with us is eternity.
  Time will hold us hostage.
  Christ paid the ransom with His blood.

  Relationships begins the moment we decide to sit down and pay attention to the heart of another.