Love Has a Name

Don’t you just love when someone goes out of their way, unsuspectingly, and buys you a gift? For reasons that we are not always fully aware of and with no ulterior motives, sometimes people just think of us and choose to give us things. It could be clothing, housewares or a card. Perhaps even a smile, a word of affirmation, a hug or a compliment.

For myself, I do enjoy being the recipient of kindness. Oddly enough I typically don’t enjoy receiving gifts if they are material things. I love a small note, a word of affirmation or acknowledgement of my effort for tasks or projects which were daunting and tedious. I do not seek these affirmations, however, when someone is genuine and recognizes it, it of course feels good. Even though I reflect all the praise to God, knowing that other people recognize His work done through me, it is a positive re-affirmation that I am truly in tune with the Holy Spirit and the Father’s will.

Often times we are told we must earn, perform and achieve and after we have succeeded at this we are rewarded. We are given our just rewards for a job well done after we have earned it. I ask then… is a gift a gift if we work for it? Sure it may be extra to my salary, a bonus on top of my paycheque or a sweet benefit in exchange for my loyalty… nonetheless… will I then lose that extra, that bonus or that benefit if I stop working? Most likely the answer is a firm yes!

For example, a young man works his butt off in a law firm. He is an intelligent young man and immediately the partners of the firm notice him and identify him to be of high grade potential and fast track him to a nice office, a big pay raise and a private parking spot. The man goes on to win hundreds of high profile cases, many which grab national headlines. The man is living his wildest dreams and working 60, 70 and 80 hour weeks when new cases get dropped on his desk.

Then one day it all changes.

He is driving home, tired and weary from a week of long hours, restless nights and days of being in front of a judge and jury examining and cross-examining evidence and witnesses in order to set his client free. He wins. His client shakes his hand and walks out of the courtroom a free man.

Driving home the man is a meer 5 blocks away from his house and the light turns yellow. He thinks, “at this time noone else is on the road.” His luxury sportscar is demolished by a reckless young driver going for a joyride in mom and dad’s car. It was his first day driving.

The young, high powered, nationally renowed and sought after lawyer is hospitalized with permanent brain damage.

He will never litigate again.

Nearly simultaneously, his benefits vanish. As fast as a gale moves the sand on the beach, his office, his car, his house, his parking spot, his paycheque. Gone.

This may be an extreme example, but the principles behind it can be applied to any scenario such as this. His benefits, gifts or extras were conditional to his work and performance in the courtroom. The gifts were not gifts.

Jesus has a different method.  Before I continue, I also say that there is no other belief, religion, god, deity or faith system that offers the gift of salvation and eternal life.

No other God in all of mankind has ever sacrificed, suffered and died for man.

Others may tell you that you can earn your way to heaven (eternal life) but only Jesus gives it to you, freely, and it is waiting for you to pick it up. Imagine if Amazon delivered a package to your house without you ordering it. It’s your choice to accept it, or leave it.

While there are multiple verses that describe this gift of salvation, I find the ESV version in Revelation 21:6 to be powerful:

“⁶ And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

Let’s keep this in context and framed within a brief explanation. God here says He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end, this means everything in between is not God. It may be given the name god by people or institutions and may mimic or play the role of God, but the god of the Holy Bible calls Himself the end-all-be-all. Pretty big claim to be making these days in a world full of thousands of religions and belief systems.

This is not intended to denigrate, judge or condemn anyone for what they believe, no, instead this is intended to share how incredible Jesus Christ of Nazareth was, is and will be. Especially in today’s world of achievement focused pressure, this truth is a breath of fresh air.

A free gift of eternal life is available to anyone whom believes in Jesus and gives their life to Him. Jesus is making the claim to now being seated on the throne in Heaven next to the Father, even the most cynical would be inclined to investigate it.

How and why then is salvation free? Simple. Jesus Christ, being fully man and fully God, left His seat in heaven and came to earth and took the position of a servant, to serve and not be served. He came to fulfill the law and purchase and redeem all His lost children. To pour His blood out once for all eternity in order to reconcile each and every person who wants to freely be given life eternal in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Although we cannot work and earn eternal life we do as a result end up doing good works. I can speak for myself that born from this free gift of salvation comes a desire to share, teach, model and return the gifts bestowed upon me by Jesus to those who are still wandering, regardless of their place in life, beliefs, brokenness or current journey in life.

Jesus does not tell me to work for Him instead when asked what work is to be done Jesus replied,

^“28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.””

John 26:28-29 NIV.

Much like the Amazon package, although it is delivered freely, you still have to accept and receive it!