A King's Ransom

Like everyone's favorite band, you occassionally (or often, in my case) find yourself digging up some of the deep cuts from the discography.  I know... you just read this just a day or two ago. Yes... it happened again.

As we pray for those in missions and declaring the gospel of Christ, it can be hard to understand. Like a kid's favorite question... why?

Well, the simple answer to Christ' purpose on earth is Love.

Yet, I found the lyrics to Petra's "King's Ransom" playing on repeat in my mind.

"Why would a king leave His throne to save humanity?"

Yet while we were dead in our sin, Christ indeed loved us. He exchanged His life for ours,
​His crown for one of thorns.

But as Petra sings,

..."the Master of the earth became a servant of no worth, and paid a King's Ransom for our souls."

The power of the message that all who follow Christ carry, is that rich or poor, prominent or impoverished, every one can relate to the economics of those who have and those who have not. Even when it's not about possessions, we relate to those who have other desirables in life; relationships, families, friends, lifestyle activities, talents, gifts, skillsets... the list goes on.

And the only explanation for one giving up and of themselves for another is love.

I heard the other night, of another religion; that it allowed no room for unconditional love.

How incredible, though, at the very foundation of Christianity, one finds Love...  in God alone, through Jesus Christ. It doesn't make any of us perfect, for we still struggle in receiving Christ' love for ourselves as much as we have difficulty expressing it to those around us, whether life being going well or not so much.

Love may be beyond understanding at times, but whether it can be explained with words or not does not diminish the power of expressing love. In word. In deed. With our time, resources and skills.

(funny... as I'm typing this post, Michael W. Smith, from the Change Your World concert playing on YouTube.... just started singing, "Love isn't love til you give it away". *in real time)

On that note (pun intended), pray this #missionsFriday, that those in need the miraculous in the lives, would indeed experience the love of God, as missionaries, and all Christians for that matter, share what we have received from the Lord. May we not hold on to our own desires and lives that we miss the opportunity to give the gift of eternal life. Pray for missionaries, that they would be encouraged, as the people they minister to respond and engage; seeking not just answers for life, but seeking the Creator of all life. For those missionaries, and even believers who are struggling in their own lives at times, with receiving Christ' unconditional love in a particular area of their life, may the know that God cares for them, has and will never leave nor forsake them and desires to accomplish the miraculous... not wasting a pain, scar or tear, but using all things for His glory for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

The greatest sacrifice ever made.
May our inability to understand it
Not interfere with our ability to receive it.
For God so loved humanity,
That He gave... a King's Ransom for our souls.

- PNC