“Jesus paid the price and won the victory. Dying on the cross, He rose to set me free. Giving up His life in love that I might live forever, Jesus paid the price and won the victory.” (Lyrics from “Jesus Paid the Price” by Elton Smith and Steve Israel)
Friday, I went to a couple of thrift shops, and in retrospect, is realized that I should have gone home after I had done some bargain shopping. But, oh no, I just had to go to a nearby department store to look for some home décor items. I was looking at some vases, just the specific color I had in mind, but initially I decided not to buy them. So, I was heading to a nearby display that had some artificial flowers. As I turned to go down that aisle, my shoulder hit a picture frame that was slightly hanging over the display stand, extending over the edge of the counter that it was sitting on, right by some vases above the ones which I had just put down. (We are always trying to blame somebody, aren’t we? Smile?) Back to the happening. My shoulder knocked over the picture frame, the picture frame knocked over the vases, and I was trying to catch them all, looking like a novice juggler in a carnival side show. I did not catch them all. The biggest vase fell and broke, making a loud, shattering noise. My face looked like the kid who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Customer service personnel came from every direction possible, hearing the smashing of the glass vase. They were like some kind of department store S.W.A.T. squad. I stayed still. I had messed, perhaps not being as alert as I should have been, and I made a big mess. The customer service personnel, kind and understanding, told me to go ahead, but I told them I needed to pay for the broken vase. Again, they said, “Go ahead” in a compassionate, and forgiving tone. They added that there was no charge.
Trying to make things right, I purchased two vases, the ones I looked at initially. I was forgiven. There was no charge. But there was a self-impose consequence. I not only paid for the two vases, but I went and brought some new shoes from the same store. Guilt is something else, isn’t it?
Well, here is the good news, appropriate for this season of the year. While all sin and fall short of the glory of God, Christ paid the price for our sins. He was out atonement. He was the propitiation of our sins. He made a way for us to have peace with God. While we have all messed up, and in view of the fact that still, we as believers, we still will have failings, remember we are not failures! Remember that Christ died for us on an old rugged cross. The cost? No charge! We are saved by grace through faith! However, know that our awareness of our mess-ups should not bring guilt, but rather a clear understanding that we did in fact sin. Acknowledging that we should change our ways when that happens, repent, seek the Lord’s forgiveness and cleansing, and go out, not burden with guilt, but with a rekindled goal of not repeating the failing, and definitely not practicing, our sin. Don’t you agree?
Have a great worship experience! Stay committed to the climb! Praise God for sending His Son! Praise Jesus for covering us who have confessed Christ; covering us with His blood and righteousness and presenting us with the Father, let me say it this way, saying, “No charge! Thank you, Jesus, for paying the price for us! Be blessed!
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 2:1-2 English Standard Version)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King