Friday, March 21, 2014

Forever Stamp

Does anyone write letters anymore? I was putting postage on an envelope addressed to my son. He is incarcerated and can't be reached by me picking up the pone or texting. Technology changes some things, not everything.

I looked a the Christmas picture on the stamp I was putting on my Spring letter and thought it was like a gift for him--words and sentences crafted together in hopes of propping up his spirits while inside.

Then I wondered how long Forever stamps had been around. Checking the internet, it said 2007 and they cost .41. Theoretically, if you had a roll of Forever stamps from the start, you'd be saving .08 a letter today.

I wondered how many people added a .01 stamp when the price went up in 2008? Because there are those who didn't realize that's what the new stamp meant...one price when you purchased it...for as long as you had it. Now, I don't think there were any entrepreneurs who bought truckloads of forever stamps in 2007. But if they had, and could find a market for them...but I digress.

I see similar confusion in people learning about Christianity. They don't realize that the sacrifice Christ made was a one time deal. There is no additional actions needed--no tacking on of charitable giving, servitude and brownie points. Nothing more is needed, He already paid the price.

As a Christian, I wear the Forever stamp of Christ and become the message of the Gospel to others--because He already purchased our souls centuries ago. And my response to that gift is gratitude to Him by worship, prayer, obedience and loving the next person on my "delivery route".

Our life doesn't need extra postage...We need to stop trying to nickel and dime the free gift He holds out to everyone.

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:12-14 (ESV)