Jesus is willing to make an amazing exchange for us – one few are willing to believe or accept, because it is not the human way of doing things. God has decided to grant us eternity with Him in Heaven if we give Him our failures, our sins, our mistakes, the things we are most ashamed of, the things we did that hurt others or ourselves, the things others did that hurt us, our personal pains, our heartaches, our cuts and bruises, our warts, our dissatisfactions, our boredoms, our illnesses, our mental and emotional anguish, our losses, our pride, our hate, our lack of faith. In trade for these burdens, God offers peace, patience, love, self-control – eternity with Him and eternal joy – forgiveness and mercy – amazing grace.
This offer is not from the church, or other ‘good people’, or any government or human kingdom. It cannot be enforced or denied apart from the God who created it. It cannot be bought, sold, traded, or gifted. It is not a deserved offer in any sense of something God owes us. Nor is it that God covets these painful, shameful, and filthy things. This offer is because of love. Like a parent who sacrifices for their child, or a friend for a friend.
There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his friends.
– John 15:13
We each need this offer more than we need those things we would hold onto instead. Let go, let it go – and come to the Lord who loves you.
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