“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1b

The Auction Block

My kids raised various livestock for the 4-H experience. Over the years, we housed several pigs, a goat, a lamb, and many rabbits, in the hopes of teaching responsibility, caring, persistence, working outside the comfort zone, life cycles, and community with like-minded others. And then there was the letting go at the end, as each animal was required to be auctioned at the fair in June.

Before and during the auction, the judges would look at everything on the animal to see if there were any imperfections, how well it had been cared for, and, in some cases, to see how well it had been trained. At the auction, some kids hoped against hope no one would bid on their animal, because they had come to love it and wanted to take it home. Other kids hoped for many bidders so they would earn a lot of money (which had to first cover the cost of having bought and raised the animal, paying back anyone they had borrowed from.)

There was another auction block in history, the one where slaves were sold. As a child, I remember reading stories of men, women, and children standing on these blocks, sometimes naked, always humiliated, examined as if they were horses. Indeed, they were treated worse than farm animals. I tried hard to imagine what they were thinking and feeling during that auction. Sometimes, they had the trauma of being separated from other loved ones as various landowners would purchase them. They no doubt fervently prayed to be kept with their families, prayed to be bought by a kind man. This whole process could happen to them several times in their lives.

Let these images bring this truth to your mind: we’ve all been on the auction block, examined by the enemy, found fault with because we aren’t perfect specimens (thus declaring we are useless and worthless), with him offering to take this miserable excuse for a human being off God’s hands.

But the Master stood by, the Landowner, who did not need to examine us because, first, He already knew our sorry state, and second, it didn’t matter to Him. He had already decided to love us.

And He purchased us on the spot, as is. No “buyer beware” needed, for anything that was found to be inferior, He could fix. Nothing could be said to talk Him out of it.

Oh, glorious day! Someone kind and good bought us, and has a benevolent heart toward us! He bought us to free us forever from the scrutiny of the enemy, never again to stand on an auction block! He bought us to free us! He didn’t look at us as nameless, faceless workhorses. He called us by name. He knew us all along!

Father, You bought us at a price—the cost was a perfect life, Your very Son. We are grateful beyond words. Thank You.