Billion Dollar Gift Card
If someone gave you a billion dollars today, what’s the first thing you would do? Believe it or not, it happened…sorta. Time magazine reported recently that in 2012 over 2 billion dollars worth of gift cards went unused. They’re sitting around in people’s drawers, car glove compartments, misplaced, and worst of all, forgotten. I discovered one such card in a drawer recently and was ecstatic when after calling the toll free number discovered I had $250 to use anywhere. Why is this my blog the week after Easter?
Well, a far greater price was paid for a gift worth infinitely more for each of us, in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. A few days ago we celebrated Easter and worshipped the Risen King, yet on Monday we all went back to work. We went back to working out, pondering retirement, vacations, and attending soccer games. We returned to episodes of Pawn Stars, The Voice, and Good Morning America. Me? The day after Easter I found myself a little uptight when trying to figure out how I’m gonna pay medical bills, how far Noth Korea missles can actually fly, and just what the fat content is in McDonalds oatmeal. A far different “Day after Easter” than that of the disciples.
The disciples were given a “gift card” of infinite value, with no limit on it’s buying power (He paid the price for all of our sins) and has no expiration date! You better believe they weren’t gonna just hide this away in a shoebox somewhere. Jesus told them that after waiting, they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit. He said, “You shall BE my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” They were so radically changed, that they all lived, and died, for their faith. They are now with Jesus for eternity.
If you’ve placed your life in the hands of Jesus, the Risen King, then you have the greatest gift in the world, the greatest news in the world, and the greatest hope in the world. Cheer up. Let’s allow God to order our steps in a manner worthy of the great cost of sending His Son. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the world saw an army of believers passionately and sacrificially living out the 325 days AFTER Easter with even more conviction, joy, and zeal than the 40 days before Easter. After all, The resurrection changes everything…doesn’t it?