I confess. I am a coupon clipper. Of course, in the digital age I don’t see many paper coupons anymore.
When I make a big purchase online I search for coupon codes. For stores that match prices, I also search for better pricing.
Call me frugal (but please don’t call me cheap).
I also accrue rewards points for credit cards and air travel, and use those to buy what is, affectively, free stuff. Of course, it costs somebody, but not me, IF the points are for purchases that I would have made anyway.
But what I like most is the vouchers that say something like: “submit this voucher for a free ________”. Did I say I like free?
Now there is one big ticket item that I can not, and will never be able to afford – the payment for all my garbage, all my screw ups, all my sins. That would cost more than I ever have had or will have. But the amazing thing is that I received a voucher that covers that, and it has been redeemed.
Somebody else paid the price to redeem me. But who would be that nice? And who could possibly afford that?
You know where this is going, right? But would you say that you really understand it? How, exactly, does it work? Can you get that voucher too?
God said all we have to do to commence our life in heaven is to live a perfect life down here. That means screwing up once, just once, knocks you out of contention. And we all screw up (and more than once too).
So God made a second way – a pure temple sacrifice.
Problem was that even those sacrifices were not pure enough, so at least once a year God’s people needed a new one.
Make no mistake – God did not create each of us in order to knock us off one by one. He cares even more for each of us than we care for ourselves. He wants each of us to spend forever with him, enjoying his company and his creation.
So God created a plan. Well, not created, really. It existed before we did; before the universe did. Back before the very foundations of time. Better to say that he revealed his plan.
God’s spirit filled a human, mortal frame, to live a pure, perfect, sinless life, and then become the perfect sacrifice for each of us. And that’s what he did. He died. His blood sacrifice paid my price; your price.
When he did that, he received a voucher for each one of us. Oh, did I mention he rose again from the dead? God was not going to stay dead. Whoever thought he would?
Since that day he has offered vouchers to each of us. Some of us accept the voucher, and trade it in for life with God, forever, even after our bodies die. Some say no thank you. Some even throw it back in his face. I have to wonder what they think is a better deal. Maybe a 2% off coupon on an item that can never truly satisfy…
What have you done with your voucher? If you are one of the people that has not seen God dogging you with that voucher, I assure you it is not because he is ignoring you. He made you. He loves you. He does not want to loose you. Perhaps you have not heard his voice. Or maybe you don’t recognize his voice.
If you want to look into this further, you are welcome to call 1-800-Need-Him. They aren’t selling anything. But they can help you submit your voucher and start living a new life.
I look forward to meeting you, face to face, in his presence, where we will have a very long time to talk about what that voucher redeemed, and what it was worth.
For stories of others that faced these questions, check out: https://percipientwitnesses.com/witness-list/
Percipient Witnesses 