Everything

When offered anything for free, beware.  Read the fine print or ask a few questions, and usually you'll find it's not really free.  One time Mr. Bill and I traveled too far, listened too long, for steak knives too dull to cut hot butter!

 

In this world, the something-for-nothing concept is a myth.  A popular talk show host often reminds his listeners, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."  While those are wise words for the consumer, this advice is irrelevant to God's gift of Salvation.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” A gift is a gift – given freely, to be humbly received with thanksgiving.  Charles H. Spurgeon describes God's gift like this: "As the earth drinks in the rain, as the sea receives the streams, as night accepts light from the stars, so we, giving nothing, partake freely of the grace of God."  For the Believer, the receiving of life-for-death without merit (earning it) is an immeasurable blessing.  Many Christians have forgotten who they were before Christ: condemned without hope, separated by sin from Holy God, with no good future.  God – rich in mercy –sent Jesus to pay our sin debt, poured His Righteousness into us, and declared us free!  Before I even knew it, God loved me, unaware of His mercy, He was merciful to me, and thousands of years ago – hanging in terribly agony – He prayed that I be forgiven.  All these riches made mine and I did nothing to earn them!  As my Pastor says, “we bring nothing to the table.”  The Christian didn’t just get something-for-nothing, we received Everything-for-nothing.  “Jesus paid it all – All to Him I owe – Sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow.”

for You alone, O Lord, make me

dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8