A different kind of cost

What is the most important part of being a Christian?

Is it when Christ died in our place on the cross, allowing us to be His children?

Is it when we choose Him, believing in His name and beginning to follow after Him?

Is it after that decision where we are walking with and learning from Him, growing to be more like Him?

Or will it be when He returns and bring us home to heaven?

For the past few weeks, over and over it has been brought to my attention that I have been placing a huge, huge emphasis on the growing part of our relationship, completely forgetting how important the other aspects are. This is not okay.

EVERY part is just as important as the others!

At various times in life, one part may be more prevalent, but that doesn't negate the importance of each aspect of our salvation, of Christ's work to deliver us from destruction.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about what it cost me to follow Christ, but in the past few weeks, I've been contemplating what it cost Christ to even make that possible.

God loved the world so much that He sent His son to die in our place because there had to be a sacrifice. God is perfect, and we cannot become His children covered in sin. In order to forgive our sins, there had to be the shedding of blood. Instead of God shedding our blood, He chose to shed the blood of His Son so that all could come to Him as His children, righteous in His sight. (John 3:16; Hebrew 9:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

It is because of Christ's death on the cross that we are forgiven! It is because of His death that we are free! It is because of His death that we do not have to do good works or try to be perfect, hoping that our actions will be good enough to get us into heaven.

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He died for US, the perfect for the sinner, that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

The cost of sending His Son to die was great, but His purpose was that we might be saved from destruction.

Wow.

One of my roommates shared a story with us last week, and I'd like to share her paraphrase with you:

"After God had created the angels, He started working on the world. Michael, one of the angels, watched as God was so joyous, creating everything for 'the children.' Who the children were he didn't know, but He knew they must be special because of how excited and joyous God was as He created things for them. When it came time to create "the children," however, Michael noticed that God was no longer smiling; He was sad.

Michael asked God why He wasn't excited, and God replied, 'I love them so very much, but they are going to hurt me. They are going to chase after things that are not from Me, not good.'

'Then why are you going to create them?'

'Because I love them.'

As He created the children, His joy was greater than before. He told Michael that, even though the children would hurt Him, many would remember Him and let His light in them shine brightly, returning His love."

He loves us! Oh, how He loves us!

May you never forget how much it cost Him. Or, if you are reading about His great love for the first time, I pray you also feel it for the very first time.

He counted up the cost, and we were worth it!

*If you want to read the full version of the story above, you can read it on amazon.com in the book preview for Tell Me a Story, by Max Lucado. The story is called "In The Beginning."