The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthian church that we have been “bought at a price” (1 Cor 6:20, 1 Cor 7:23). This is the image behind the the theological idea of redemption. We have literally been redeemed at a great price. God has bought and paid for us (and our sins) with the Cross. This is basic Christianity.
One of the implications of this transaction is that we are now adopted children of God, called children of God, redeemed and restored in His family with Christ. This is at the heart of salvation and the Gospel message.
I have been thinking a lot about these images the last few months. I wonder, does God ever have “buyer’s remorse”? Does he ever regret his purchase?
Have you ever bought something and then gotten it home just to discover that it doesn’t do what you thought it did or is broken in some way or is just a lousy product? I am sure we all have. And then sometimes we discover that the store has a NO RETURNS OR EXCHANGES policy and we are stuck with what we bought.
Sometimes I think that must be like what God thinks when he looks at us.
He bought us at a huge price. And then he gets us home and it turns out we aren’t that good, we are pretty broken, and sometimes we are just a lousy product. I know I am!
But God has no buyer’s remorse… he doesn’t try and exchange us or return us. He bought us and we are his. He won’t give us up or give us back or give us over… we are his. Broken and weak, we are his.
That simple truth has sustained me a lot these last few months. When I was ready to give up on me… when most of the people who had called me a friend has given up on me… when it seemed like I was just a broken, lousy product… God whispers in my ear, “yeah, but you’re mine and I love you and I’m keeping you… not because I have to, but because I want to! I knew what I was buying, and I have no buyer’s remorse!”
When I hear that whisper, I smile. Not just because it is good to hear, but because I know it is true.
God has no buyer’s remorse… and he never will!
BEN DUBOW 
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