Who Paid for It?
I married a man who had been keeping house for himself for some time. A few months after we married, I gave away some of his household items that I thought we didn’t need without permission. We had been given many newer items that I thought were more appropriate for our home’s décor. My husband was not happy. He had worked and paid for those items by standing on his feet and cutting one haircut after another; I took his purchases for granted. Similarly, I have repeatedly observed college students on scholarship fritter away the money and effort someone else made on their behalf. Sometimes those same students who quit or failed would come back at their own expense much later and become very good students. When they paid the tuition, they studied. As I discussed a piece of damaged equipment with one of my sons, I concluded this— we just don’t appreciate what we don’t pay for.
The old hymn says, “Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.” Jesus paid for my salvation. The law of the Old Testament Jews required a blood sacrifice for forgiveness of sin. Jesus became the Passover lamb for me. I could never be good enough on my own. “Christ was truly God. But he did not try to be equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave when he became like one of us. Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 CEV). Paul said to the Corinthians, “What we mean is that God was in Christ offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world… we speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19,20-21 CEV).
Have you accepted Christ’s payment for your own sins? You don’t have to be good enough. He has bridged the gap between God and men. He has covered the costs. All you have to do is accept His gift, believe that Christ is the son of God, confess your sins and ask Him to help you live every day for Him. “So you will be saved, if you honestly say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others” (Romans 10:9-10 CEV). Will you take God’s payment and His gift for granted?
Luwana – I’ve been guilty of the same thing, throwing away a few of my husband’s mugs (he has quite a collection). But you’re absolutely right – we often don’t cherish what we didn’t pay for. Thank God for Jesus’ sacrificial death for us. Thanks God Jesus paid the penalty for our sin! Hallelujah!
I do not take God’s payment for granted at all. I marvel about His grace every single day.