This week I heard a story about a boy and his boat and it reminded me of two of the most simplest truths that we will ever learn.
Early in the 1920’s there was a boy named Ernest who built a boat. He went out and found a piece of wood for the hull and bits of plastic to make a sail. He worked on it for months until he was finally finished. He worked so hard to make it just right. It was his boat, a masterpiece!
Ernest brought his boat down to the river to see if it would float. He launched it from the shore and watched in amazement as his boat bobbed and bounced in the current. He tugged it along with a string as he ran down the shoreline. He was so very proud.
The current grew stronger and the wind started to blow. The string slipped out of his grip, and the boat started to drift away. Panic struck Ernest as he tried desperately to retrieve his boat, but it was no use. A devastated little boy walked home sobbing because his boat was gone.
Weeks later Ernest went to the city with his brothers. As they walked along the sidewalks, they passed store front windows. And to his amazement, there in the front window of a pawn shop, was his boat! He ran in and picked up his boat. His tool marks were on it, even his name was etched into the hull. It was unmistakably his boat!
The store owner came over and told him if he wanted the boat, it would cost him 10 dollars. Ernest pleaded with him and showed the owner how in fact the boat was already his because he made it. As far as the owner was concerned, the cost of the boat was 10 dollars.
Ernest ran home and started to find work so he could make the money to buy his boat back. It wasn’t easy, but finally after weeks of working, he had saved up 10 whole dollars. He rushed back to the pawn shop and gave the owner the money. Ernest picked up his boat and stared at it, as he held it in the air, and said, “You’re doublely mine. First you’re mine because I made you, and secondly you’re mine because I bought you back!”
In this story, I’m not the boy, I’m the boat.
Not only am I created by the God of the universe, but He reached his hand into my world and saved me. He saw the written warrant against me, the price tag that was on my life, and He chose to cover me with unmerited favour. Jesus took my place on the cross, he took my penalty as his own, just to buy me back!
First God CREATED us and then God REDEEMED us!
We are DOUBLELY his!
“I am the God who made you in the first place,
the One who got you started:
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That's how much you mean to me!
That's how much I love you!
I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade all of creation just for you.”
Often times we forget these simple facts. It seems we get confused and think that our works or actions had something to do with it. It was all God, right from the start. It’s only by grace that we’ve been saved.
Ephesians 2:8 tells us “Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.”
Be encouraged today to live your life in response to what Jesus first did for you. You are living on “borrowed” time. Everyday live a life worthy of the grace that you’ve received. Be honoured that God both created you and redeemed you. After all, we are doublely His!
No comments:
Post a Comment