- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,078
Trade Up - July 28, 2006
We just had a big open house in honor of my son, who graduated from high school. We try to graduate one of our kids every couple of years so that our house can get a good cleaning. We pull out the list of all the major projects we want to get done before one of these significant life event-type parties. Paint, carpets, new curtains here and new table there. Sadly, we spent so much money getting the house ready for the party that now we can't afford to send that son to college.
Okay, just kidding. We wouldn't really trade college for curtains. Bad trade. It's good to remember that if you're going to make a trade, make it count. Always trade up.
Spiritually speaking, trading up is all about exchanging one destiny for another. Trading hell for heaven? Now there's a trade up. Way up. Up in the highest, most glorious sense of the word.
Jesus came to earth to make a trade on our behalf. Sin had to be punished. As sinners, we had nothing whatsoever to trade. But God had a plan. Before the foundation of the world He planned to redeem us back to Himself through Jesus. Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sin. He was the propitiation- the trade- for us.
You are God's glorious project. You are loved and adored and worth even the life of His only Son. Trading the old way of life for a life sold out to Christ marks you as His child- His very own.
Hmm, if the trade marks us as His child, I wonder if we could we call that a "trade-mark"?
Rhonda Rhea is the author of "Who Put the Cat in the Fridge" and other insanely fun books, including "Amusing Grace" and "Turkey Soup for the Soul--Tastes Just Like Chicken." She is a radio personality and humor columnist and speaks at conferences and events nationwide. Rhonda lives in the St. Louis area with her pastor/husband and their five children. Find out more at www.RhondaRhea.net.
We just had a big open house in honor of my son, who graduated from high school. We try to graduate one of our kids every couple of years so that our house can get a good cleaning. We pull out the list of all the major projects we want to get done before one of these significant life event-type parties. Paint, carpets, new curtains here and new table there. Sadly, we spent so much money getting the house ready for the party that now we can't afford to send that son to college.
Okay, just kidding. We wouldn't really trade college for curtains. Bad trade. It's good to remember that if you're going to make a trade, make it count. Always trade up.
Spiritually speaking, trading up is all about exchanging one destiny for another. Trading hell for heaven? Now there's a trade up. Way up. Up in the highest, most glorious sense of the word.
Jesus came to earth to make a trade on our behalf. Sin had to be punished. As sinners, we had nothing whatsoever to trade. But God had a plan. Before the foundation of the world He planned to redeem us back to Himself through Jesus. Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sin. He was the propitiation- the trade- for us.
You are God's glorious project. You are loved and adored and worth even the life of His only Son. Trading the old way of life for a life sold out to Christ marks you as His child- His very own.
Hmm, if the trade marks us as His child, I wonder if we could we call that a "trade-mark"?
Rhonda Rhea is the author of "Who Put the Cat in the Fridge" and other insanely fun books, including "Amusing Grace" and "Turkey Soup for the Soul--Tastes Just Like Chicken." She is a radio personality and humor columnist and speaks at conferences and events nationwide. Rhonda lives in the St. Louis area with her pastor/husband and their five children. Find out more at www.RhondaRhea.net.
