I’ve always heard that you
can’t get something for nothing. Maybe that is not true. Maybe you can get
something for nothing when it comes to God. God gives to us when we give
nothing. Did I do anything to receive love and forgiveness when I received
Jesus? I received the forgiveness just
for asking. It was totally free. I still
don’t do anything to receive forgiveness today. After many years of walking
with Christ as my Savior, I continue to be given FREE FORGIVENESS when I mess
up. It costs me NOTHING. Some might say Oh,
you are good. You behave. You pray and you help people. You deserve to be forgiven. No. Those are things I do as part of the
relationship with God and people but I do not earn forgiveness from God by
being good. The love and forgiveness God gives continues to be a completely
free gift forever. It doesn’t stop happening.
I make many mistakes.
I sometimes hurt the feelings of others. When those things happen, I apologize
and take responsibility with those whom I offended. They may or may not forgive
me, but God always readily forgives me. What if I was mean every day to my
neighbor? There would be consequences. I
would likely lose friends. I would likely be disrespected and known as untrustworthy,
maybe even crazy. I might even end up in legal trouble and have to pay fines or
do community service. BUT I WOULD STILL BE FORGIVEN BY GOD. God might discipline
me through consequences, but He would forgive and love me the same. Could I rob
a bank and be forgiven??? YES! I would
go to jail loved and forgiven.
I can’t think of any other instance in this life where this
is true. We receive very little without putting something forward. Even when
someone decides to take part in an act of generosity, that kindness would
seldom be repeated very many times without the expectation of gratitude or pay
back. We pay for kindness with kindness. Humans just don’t have the capacity to
give over and over when nothing is given back to us.
This unconditional love is not possible for me to comprehend.
This unconditional forgiveness is too
far out of my realm of accomplishment. That’s
what makes Him God, and that is the difference between God and false gods. The real God gives something costly and huge
for absolutely nothing in return. And he does it every time. Forever.
