Let me talk for a moment to the wives listening.
Let me ask,
ladies, does your husband have a favorite article of clothing that
should be put out of its misery? Maybe it's a flannel shirt or an old
pair of tennis shoes? Probably, this item is torn, worn, and when he
wears it, he looks mighty forlorn.
Once more, let me ask, have
you thrown that obscenity in the rag bag, only to find it resurrected?
Have you tossed it into the garbage five minutes before the truck is
supposed to come, only to find it has somehow made its way back to his
closet?
Why does he love that thing?
I don't know. You
don't know. It's not logical, is it?
On a far grander and more
glorious scale, that's the way it is between God and us. Having looked
into our hearts, having seen our sin, God should have thrown us into the
dumpster of damnation. But in His grace, He decided to save us.
He pulled us from the garbage; He rescued us from our fate and He saved
us. More than that, and unlike a husband's favorite shirt, God fixed us,
cleaned us, and made us more valuable than we were before.
How
valuable are you?
Listen carefully now because it's important.
You are so valuable to God that He sent His Son to save you. God sent
His Son to take your place. That's why Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
That's why He suffered for you. That's why He endured indignity. That's
why He died -- all for you. That's why St. Paul proudly proclaimed, "You
were bought with a price," (1 Corinthians 6:20a).
The price God
paid, the value He placed on you, was nothing less than His only Son.
God valued you so highly, in order to allow you to live, His Son had to
die. For six hours, God's Son hung suspended between heaven and earth.
That is your value.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I cannot
understand why You were moved to mercy for lost humankind. I don't
understand, but I still can give thanks for all Your kindnesses. Accept
my praise in the Name of the crucified and ever-living Savior. Amen.
Pastor Ken
Klaus Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved;
not to be duplicated without permission.
