On our way home from school this evening my wife and I decided to stop at a local ice cream parlor. It was a beautiful spring day and it seemed like a great way to start the evening. Without looking at the prices I ordered a double thick double chocolate malt. I am so glad the girl didn’t bring me the check until after I had thoroughly enjoyed it. It really was amazingly delicious. It was also amazingly expensive. After putting my eyeballs back in their sockets after looking at the bill I knew I never would have ordered it had I known. I think sometimes I forget this isn’t 1950 when such a treat would have been thirty-five cents with maybe an extra penny for the malt. I’ll know better the next time.
Maybe this has also happened to you. You bought something before counting the cost. Jesus even talks about a man building a tower without first considering the expense. See Luke 14:28. It is a mistake God would never make. When He first planned to redeem us with the sacrifice of His only one-of-a-kind Son, He counted the cost. And for reasons I will never ever understand He thought we were worth it. One of my favorite authors once wrote, “God made Himself poor when He gave us Jesus.” It is an awesome thought. God’s richness isn’t all the stuff He can speak into existence. His richness is Jesus.
As Jesus was dragged from the high priest’s court to the court of Pilate and Herod and back to Pilate with brutal inhuman beatings occurring along the way, the universe watched in stunned silence. Every intelligent eye watched for either Jesus or the Father to say, “Enough.” He never did for God so loved the world. God so loved you.
Written by Roger Bothwell on May 14, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org