It's Not A Trade

God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

I love living in the country; it has so many perks!  I love the fact that we have fresh beef that we raise ourselves (I can’t lie…Dave does the raising) we have fresh pork, vegetables and flowers from my gardens that sit on the kitchen island most of the summer and fall and my niece and her family raise chickens so there are plenty of eggs to share.  When school started this fall, I instituted a tiny holiday (at least it’s kind of a holiday for me) called “Egg Day With Aunt Sheri!”  When I’m out of eggs, my three great nieces come to my classroom after school and I take them home so I can get eggs from my niece.  The girls like it because they don’t have to ride the school bus home and because we absolutely have to make a stop and get a treat!  These three little girls are such sweeties and they always remember to pick out a treat to take home to their brother.  The other day as we were driving home with their treats, I had to laugh because they were busy making trades.  I’ll give you 3 Combos for a gummy worm or I think a gummy worm is worth 4 mini Oreos were the sounds that entertained me all the way home.  As I picked up my eggs and dropped off the girls I couldn’t help but think of this verse from Paul’s letter to the  Romans.

The girls were all about negotiating a trade that was fair for everyone, but God made the most epic, lopsided trade of all time.  I’m not sure I fully comprehend the power of this verse so I’ve been puddling it around in my heart for a few days. We toss around the words fair, just and equal quite a bit, but I for one don’t spend much time thinking about how the Father must process those words.  Our relationship with him is anything but fair, just or equal.  He can’t be outdone or undone or even partially matched in love and mercy and I’m not very good at thanking him for that.

I think the power in this verse lies in the five words “while we were still sinners”.  It wasn’t a negotiation.  It doesn’t say, after you got your act together Christ died for you.  It doesn’t say, when you stopped sinning Chris died for you.  It doesn’t say if you do x, y and z then I’ll consider sending my Son to save you.  He did it before we got it all together.  It wasn’t about scoring enough points to get the reward.  It was a matter of; I love you so much, I’ll take you right in the middle of your messy, goofy, sin riddled life and send my Son to show you once and for all how extravagantly I love you.  I need to get that through my thick noggin because I go through most days thinking I can trade my measly little gummy worms or Oreos for a life in heaven.  He isn’t there to bargain or negotiate with. He takes my puny little attempts at holiness and gives me the grace I need to do better.  I think he whispers to me, I did this so you would be able to come home to my loving embrace; I want your love, your trust and I want you to put me in first place. It’s a gift my child; not a trade!

A Seed To Plant: Take a few minutes to thank God for his love and ask him to help you see a couple of things he’s inviting you to do so you can grow in holiness.


Blessings on your day!