Redeeming Love (68 page)

R O M A N S 8 : 2 8

1. In what ways was God calling Angel while she was relying only on herself? What good was He working?

2. In what ways has God been calling you, regardless of whom you rely on? How is He working good for you through that process?

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Rescued

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will preserve me against the
anger of my enemies. You will clench your fist against my angry enemies!

Your power will save me. The LORD will work out his plans for my life—

for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for
you made me.

P S A L M 1 3 8 : 7 – 8

D I S C U S S I O N

1. Who helped Michael escape his past? In what ways was he rescued?

2. Angel repeatedly tried to escape her circumstances. Describe the various plans.

3. Contrast Hosea, the slave who helped Michael, with the slave dealer Duke.

4. Discuss Michael’s rescue of Angel from the hand of Magowan.

5. Why do you think Angel returned to her former ways?

6. From what or whom are you trying to escape and why?

7. What causes you to return to old habits?

D I S C O V E R I E S

For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how
can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how
can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how
can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

R O M A N S 1 0 : 1 3 – 1 4

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1. How would you apply these verses to Angel? According to these verses, why had she never cried out to God? Who was responsible?

2. What keeps you from crying out to God? What can you do about it now?

D E C I S I O N S

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love
God and are called according to his purpose for them.

R O M A N S 8 : 2 8

1. List any ways in which God was calling Angel at this juncture in her life.

2. Can you see the good He was working around her? List it.

3. What about your life? How has God rescued you? How has He called you and worked good through that?

Redeemed

He [Jesus] gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us,
and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is
right.

T I T U S 2 : 1 4

D I S C U S S I O N

1. Angel was bought and sold on numerous occasions. What was different about Michael’s redeeming her? Discuss the role of trust (or lack of trust) in Angel.

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2. When Michael and Angel helped the Altman family, what did Angel learn about Michael? Herself? God?

3. Describe the changes in actions and thinking that took place after Angel was rescued a second time by Michael. What do you think caused the changes?

4. What trust issues do you have? Who has God placed in your life as positive examples?

D I S C O V E R I E S

God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t
take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the
good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are
God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we
can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

E P H E S I A N S 2 : 8 – 1 0

1. List everything you learn about salvation from these verses.

2. What is God’s part? What is your part?

3. Apply this passage to Angel.

4. How is God creating you anew?

D E C I S I O N S

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love
God and are called according to his purpose for them.

R O M A N S 8 : 2 8

1. How do you see God’s call in Angel’s life by this point? What specifically does she discover for herself?

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2. List some of the good that is happening in her life.

3. What specific discoveries have you made for yourself regarding God’s call?

4. List some of the good that is happening in your life.

Reconciled

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to
God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept.

When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

R O M A N S 1 2 : 1 – 2

D I S C U S S I O N

1. What caused Angel to leave yet again?

2. How is this different from before?

3. Why was it necessary for Paul to be the one to find Angel?

4. What did he learn about himself? How did this help him?

5. What did Angel learn through this experience?

6. What was Michael learning through this difficult time?

7. Is there someone who needs to be reconciled with you? Or, do you need to be the one who does the reconciling, like Paul did? Explain.

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D I S C O V E R I E S

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love
covers a multitude of sins.

1 P E T E R 4 : 8

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good
time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he
cares about what happens to you.

1 P E T E R 5 : 6 – 7

1. What covers sin? To what extent?

2. What does God do for those who humble themselves before him? Why?

3. How would you apply these verses to the characters—which characters, and why?

4. How does pride hold you back from experiencing peace and forgiveness?

D E C I S I O N S

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love
God and are called according to his purpose for them.

R O M A N S 8 : 2 8

1. How has God’s call affected Angel’s life now?

2. Describe the good that now flows from her life.

3. Is God’s calling having its full effect on your life? Why or why not?

4. What good are you sharing with others?

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Restoration

In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus
Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support,
and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

1 P E T E R 5 : 1 0

D I S C U S S I O N

1. What steps had Angel taken to restore her spirit?

2. What were the lasting effects of Angel’s soul search?

3. What steps did Angel take to restore her marriage? How did Michael respond?

4. In what ways did God reward Sarah and Michael?

5. What have you learned about the love of a man for a woman?

6. What have you learned about the love of God for all mankind—including you?

D I S C O V E R I E S

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as
you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s
marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all
God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his
love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great
you will never fully understand it.… By his mighty power at work
within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever
dare to ask or hope.

E P H E S I A N S 3 : 1 7 – 2 0

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1. How would you describe God’s love from these verses? What does He offer us?

2. How did Sarah and Michael discover this to be true for their lives?

3. What does God want to do for you? What does He want from you?

D E C I S I O N S

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love
God and are called according to his purpose for them.

R O M A N S 8 : 2 8

1. How would you sum up God’s call in the life of Angel/Sarah?

Describe the progress made in her life that was good from God’s hand.

2. Go back and look at your own progress. How would you sum up God’s call in your life?

3. What progress has been made that you can attribute to God working good in you?

May God continue to work good in your life as you continue to respond to His call.

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Excerpted from Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers Copyright ©

1997 by Francine Rivers. Excerpted by permission of Multnomah Books, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.