Psa 103:2-3, 2 Bless the Lord, .. 4 Who redeems your life from destruction…
David already spoke of pardon and healing which deals with the nature of the heart. But the work does not end there, as the adversary of the soul is unrelenting in its pursuit to extinguish that which brings life. According to John 10:10, the enemy’s mission is to kill, steal, and destroy. If the heart is left unattended, it becomes susceptible to this mission. Conversely, Jesus, in the same verse, proclaims that He has come to grant us a life that is abundant and overflowing. He redeems life by giving Himself to die that we might live. The redemption has a cost tied to it, it’s buying back that which is dead and imparting new life into it.
In John 10, the good shepherd bestows life upon His sheep. The God who rescues (bestows life) is also the God who protects us from the influences of the world, our own sinful desires, and the devil. He shields us from the destructive forces of worldly cravings, materialistic temptations, and the arrogance of life. All of these elements are detrimental to the heart and the entirety of our existence. The life that He gives is inclusive of all good, that we might be justified, sanctified, and at last glorified.