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August 2007 Tidings

This past May much of my family came to St. Louis to celebrate my graduation from Covenant Seminary. They were very generous with both their presence and their presents. One sibling gave me some TGI Friday’s gift cards because He knows that although Tricia and I love to eat out, we are often too cheap to spend the money. During this weekend of graduation we also celebrated my step mother’s (Karen’s) birthday. Tricia made a beautiful card for her and we wrote a nice letter describing how much we appreciated her. As a present, we included in the envelope one of the $20 gift cards I had received for graduation. (Yes! I re-gifted! Remember, we are cheap).

About a month ago I got a call from my Dad because he was afraid that there had been some mistake. He told me that he and Karen went to TGI Fridays and got a very nice meal, but when they went to pay the bill, the $20 gift card only had $1.50 on it. Needless to say, I was busted and had no choice but to openly confess my re-gifting ways.

I often live like I only have a $1.50 in my spiritual bank account, and I think, “Sure it’s better than being broke, but then again it is only $1.50” To put it another way, I take for granted all the riches I have in Christ and I dilute the wonders of what I have received. At the worst, I am deceived into thinking that there is not much of a difference between now and when I was not a Christian, other than a list of rules and a Sunday morning service.

The good news is that despite how rich or poor we might feel on a given day, all who trust in Christ possess the full riches of being united to Him. What are these riches that belong to us? Paul explains that these riches include our redemption purchased by the price of God’s favorite Son. They include the ongoing forgiveness for our sin- riddled life. They include the ability to see the hope of glory to which we are bound. They include being strengthened by the Holy Spirit in our daily walk. They include intimacy with the living God by Christ dwelling in our hearts. They include the wisdom necessary to understand the mystery of God for our salvation. And they include the ability to be a blessing to others so that they too might enjoy the full riches of Christ.

If you have never experienced these riches, it is because you do not know Christ. Change that today by surrendering to Him and you will instantaneously inherit all the treasures of Christ. Unlike a gift card, our riches can never be exhausted or used up. All who are united to Christ are infinitely wealthy in Him and will forever be justified, pardoned, reconciled, adopted, strengthened, forgiven, and redeemed. So, whether your financial bank account is in the black or in the red, if you trust in Christ you are among the richest people on the face of the earth. Believe it because it is true, and live it because His generosity is unending.