Thank you...

Thank you. That’s what you say when you receive a gift, right? After Christmas is past and the mess is cleaned up, you sit down and write out your thank yous. Same thing shortly after your birthday or anniversary or graduation or retirement party.

“Thanks for your generosity. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for your friendship.”

What you don’t do when you receive a present, unless you’re really dumb, is ask, “How much do I owe you for this?”

You don’t owe anything for a gift. It’s done. It’s been paid for. It’s yours if you receive it. No strings attached unless it’s a kite or a yo-yo.

The gift Jesus offers is infinitely greater than a yo-yo. He holds out complete cancellation of the debt owed God by every sin-tainted man, woman and child on planet Earth. That’s what our Savior paid for on the cross. Complete cancellation of the debt owed.

Not a big deal if you only owe something like five bucks. “Here’s your money, God. Let’s be friends.”

But you and I owed way more than a five-spot. We owed our lives. Don’t miss this. It’s important that you understand this. The only acceptable payment for sin – for your rebellion against a holy, eternal, always-existent God – is eternal death.

“The wages of sin is death,” is not a cute little for-kids-only memory verse phrase. It’s a smack-you-in-the-head-so-you’ll-wake-up-before-it’s-forever-too-late warning from God.

“…the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NIV)

There’s that word gift again. What do you do when you receive a gift? You say, “Thank you.” When the gift is as great as eternal life and you realize that eternal death was your destiny before Jesus bought the gift for you, you say it from the depths of your heart. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Have you thanked God recently for the gift of eternal life? Your debt, your guilt, your sin is completely taken care of forever. You are forgiven. You are set free. God is satisfied.

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