FREE IS THE RAREST OF THINGS
When you stop to think about it, something that is truly, completely, 100% free is extremely rare. When's the last time you used a coupon because you thought you were getting something free, but there were all these crazy strings attached? You get a free shirt if you spend $50 on jeans. You must get this free shirt between these certain dates, and if not, no free shirt. You can get a free drink-- if you buy a meal. You can get a free copy of a magazine-- but only if you subscribe for a certain amount of time. You get a free smart phone-- but only if you buy the expensive data plan to go with it.
When is there ever anything that is seriously free? Meaning you have to do absolutely nothing to receive it-- spend no money whatsoever. It's pretty rare, right? To find something with no strings attached?
Not only are free things rare-- but when are rare things ever free?
When do you walk into a comic book store to find a limited edition of some really old Superman comic book to find that it's FREE? When can you get a fancy rare purebred horse for free? Or one of Monet's paintings for free? What about a copy of Beethoven's original sheet music? Do you suppose THAT is free, too?
I'm not typing this post to point out the obvious-- but to explain something that will blow your mind. Don't expect to understand what I'm saying, because I don't fully understand it myself.
I have discovered something that is rarely found here on earth-- something so magical and special that some people don't even acknowledge that it exists. Something you can't find anywhere tangibly-- it's not on the Internet, even. It is extremely abundant, but yet so many people don't know of its existence.
GRACE.
A five-letter word, which is defined as this:
Grace: (n.) a favor or goodwill
And I'm not sure if I even agree with that definition! Because when I think of a favor, it's usually like "Hey thanks for the favor, man! I owe you!" And the grace that I'm talking about-- the grace that is so amazing and rarely truly found-- it is completely free.
No strings attached.
No expiration dates.
No small print or uncertainty.
Grace entered the world the second God let Adam and Eve live after eating from the tree. Think about it-- they did the ONE thing God asked them not to do, and yet, God still let them live. And why did He do that? It's not like Adam was a lawyer and presented his case before God on why his life should be spared. He blamed Eve!
God sent His one and only Son into this sin-stricken world so we could be free of guilt and sin... and why do you suppose He did that? What could we as His people have possibly done in order to deserve such freedom and kindness and His death on the cross?
Absolutely nothing.
The truth is, humans are NOT perfect, in any sense of the word. But somehow-- in some stretch of the imagination-- God finds us wonderful. God still loves us. He still cares for us, and there is NOTHING we can ever do, ever, to stop His love.
This is where I get stumped, every time. I don't like being confused, to be honest. And it kills me to say it, being someone who likes writing and expressing thoughts in words... but I can't fully explain grace. I can try, but it is SO huge, so limitless, so perfect-- there's no way to explain it.
So when I feel I have no words to say, I turn to His word.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)
God's grace is here to save us all-- for anyone who believes in Him. You don't have to go to church, or donate money, or even read the Bible! You just have to have faith, and you are given the incredible free gift of grace.
It's pretty special, everyone. And it's free.
Let me know if you have any questions-- I would love to help you meet this guy named Jesus. He's a pretty life-changing God.
Peace out.
When you stop to think about it, something that is truly, completely, 100% free is extremely rare. When's the last time you used a coupon because you thought you were getting something free, but there were all these crazy strings attached? You get a free shirt if you spend $50 on jeans. You must get this free shirt between these certain dates, and if not, no free shirt. You can get a free drink-- if you buy a meal. You can get a free copy of a magazine-- but only if you subscribe for a certain amount of time. You get a free smart phone-- but only if you buy the expensive data plan to go with it.
When is there ever anything that is seriously free? Meaning you have to do absolutely nothing to receive it-- spend no money whatsoever. It's pretty rare, right? To find something with no strings attached?
Not only are free things rare-- but when are rare things ever free?
When do you walk into a comic book store to find a limited edition of some really old Superman comic book to find that it's FREE? When can you get a fancy rare purebred horse for free? Or one of Monet's paintings for free? What about a copy of Beethoven's original sheet music? Do you suppose THAT is free, too?
I'm not typing this post to point out the obvious-- but to explain something that will blow your mind. Don't expect to understand what I'm saying, because I don't fully understand it myself.
I have discovered something that is rarely found here on earth-- something so magical and special that some people don't even acknowledge that it exists. Something you can't find anywhere tangibly-- it's not on the Internet, even. It is extremely abundant, but yet so many people don't know of its existence.
GRACE.
A five-letter word, which is defined as this:
Grace: (n.) a favor or goodwill
And I'm not sure if I even agree with that definition! Because when I think of a favor, it's usually like "Hey thanks for the favor, man! I owe you!" And the grace that I'm talking about-- the grace that is so amazing and rarely truly found-- it is completely free.
No strings attached.
No expiration dates.
No small print or uncertainty.
Grace entered the world the second God let Adam and Eve live after eating from the tree. Think about it-- they did the ONE thing God asked them not to do, and yet, God still let them live. And why did He do that? It's not like Adam was a lawyer and presented his case before God on why his life should be spared. He blamed Eve!
God sent His one and only Son into this sin-stricken world so we could be free of guilt and sin... and why do you suppose He did that? What could we as His people have possibly done in order to deserve such freedom and kindness and His death on the cross?
Absolutely nothing.
The truth is, humans are NOT perfect, in any sense of the word. But somehow-- in some stretch of the imagination-- God finds us wonderful. God still loves us. He still cares for us, and there is NOTHING we can ever do, ever, to stop His love.
This is where I get stumped, every time. I don't like being confused, to be honest. And it kills me to say it, being someone who likes writing and expressing thoughts in words... but I can't fully explain grace. I can try, but it is SO huge, so limitless, so perfect-- there's no way to explain it.
So when I feel I have no words to say, I turn to His word.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)
God's grace is here to save us all-- for anyone who believes in Him. You don't have to go to church, or donate money, or even read the Bible! You just have to have faith, and you are given the incredible free gift of grace.
It's pretty special, everyone. And it's free.
Let me know if you have any questions-- I would love to help you meet this guy named Jesus. He's a pretty life-changing God.
Peace out.
Comments