No life is without troubles, no matter how rich or poor a person is. We will face problems in our lives. That is a fact… maybe not a pleasant fact, but a fact none-the-less.
So, what do people do? A variety of things. Some people worry themselves sick. Some always expect the worst so they are at least somewhat ready. (I used to do this.) Some people go into victim mode – “Woe is me” mode – and are always off balance, reeling from one situation to another. Some people try to plan for whatever. For example, you know that your car is going to need new tires and will need maintenance, your washing machine will not last forever, and you may get sick, so you set aside some funds in a “rainy day fund.” We buy warranties to insure the refrigerator … or the stereo … or the whatever, is not a “lemon” and will continue to function as promised. (I don’t know about you, but my “whatever” rarely goes out during the warranty period. Maybe a day, or week later!) Now some planning is healthy and wise, but we must remember that we can only control so much.
We also realize (hopefully eventually) that we won’t live forever. The sooner we acknowledge this fact, the sooner we can put many of our hopes and dreams, our relationships and our problems into perspective. What is really important? We can begin to cherish what will last … our relationships with people … and our relationship with God.
But, I digress. We know that no one lives forever – except in the movies. Someday we will all face Our Creator, whether we acknowledge Him in this life or not. So, how do “planners” deal with this fact? Some try to buy insurance. They try to do more good things than bad things – to keep their heavenly balance sheet in the black, so to speak. They may do volunteer work, give money to charities, pray and go to church, and one day they hear the salvation message – hopefully. They hear that Jesus, the Son of God, died for them, paid for their sins, and put their balance sheet in the black. Yeah! Peace of mind. So, they “walk the aisle” or “pray the prayer” and check off ever having to worry about the judgement again. They have just found the best insurance policy ever and it didn’t cost THEM anything!
Well, not exactly.
Remember that I said nothing will last into eternity except our relationships? Insurance policies don’t last. Read the fine print!
When we “walk the aisle” or “pray the prayer,” we aren’t signing up for FIRE INSURANCE. We have been invited into a RELATIONSHIP with GOD! Big difference! We are choosing to follow Him as our King … our boss. We are accepting what Jesus did for us on the cross. We are acknowledging that He is God – and we are NOT. This relationship lasts forever … even past Judgement Day… actually bypassing the Heaven-or-hell judgement. Now that is Good News!
Choosing relationship with God is so much more than insurance. We are adopted into His family. He is our Heavenly Daddy. He loves us and cares for us – even through the trials and tribulations of life. He’s a Good Daddy. He is interested in our growing up healthy, strong and wise … looking just like our Dad, talking like our Dad, and working in the family business of loving people … just like our Dad.
By the way, trials and tribulations in life don’t mean that our Heavenly Daddy isn’t taking good care of us. When a child first learns to walk, we move everything out of the way. But that doesn’t last long. The child needs to learn to evaluate and to navigate the obstacles. Some obstacles can be avoided. Some he goes over … some he goes around … some he changes directions (always a good idea when it is a fence protecting him from falling off a cliff) … and some obstacles he just blows out of the water.
There are other difference between insurance policies and relationship.
There is no deductible. Jesus paid the full price for our sins. Any suffering, problem, illness, or anything else is not “our portion” to pay for our sin. We might make bad choices that have consequences – we should learn from our choices – but the consequences are not to pay off our sin debt.
There is no lifetime maximum benefit. When I look back to see how much God – Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit – have done for me all these years, I am blown away. I have been loved, healed, taught, comforted, encouraged, rescued, provided for, blessed. (I can’t think of anymore words right now but the list could probably go on forever.) He has been so good to me. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had hurts, trials, failures – lots of them – but He has always been there for me, even when I didn’t see Him, or look for Him, or know He was there.
So, am I so grateful for what He’s done that I don’t ask Him for anything else … that I don’t take my needs to Him? No! There is no “lifetime maximum” on how He wants to care for me. He is El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient God. His supply of love, healing, power, freedom, forgiveness – whatever! – is not running low. It is not rationed out to His children. I am so thankful.!
God,
I love You.
Thank You for all that You’ve done for me already.
Thank You for loving me, even before I knew You even existed.
Thank You for dying for me, and paying the price for my sin.
Come into my heart today.
Wash me clean.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
Make me a new person.
I choose to follow You.
You are God and I am not.
Amen.
