By Pastor Bob DeKlavon
When I was getting ready to propose to Jan—I wanted to try something which I will share in a moment.
Jan and I got the ring we wanted for her and after all the things needing to be done—I went to pick it up.
At the store, I asked if they would include a box with the ring?
The sales woman looked at me somewhat cross-eyed as she said: “yesss.”
She said it with great hesitation like: “that is the dumbest question I have ever heard.”
Which is exactly how I wanted her to look because of the following.
Years ago I had heard an illustration that has influenced my thinking for decades.
If you buy a diamond ring for someone—how much trouble do you think it is to throw in the box?
I mean—once you pay for the ring, the box is nothing by comparison…right?
So, here is the verse that drove that home to me years ago and comes into play for this day.
In Romans 8:32, Paul writes:
“He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Once Jesus died for us—isn’t everything else just the box?
That is the point Paul is making with this verse.
When Jesus gave up His life—that WAS the greatest sacrifice He could have given.
So now, when we come to Him with our requests—it is as nothing for Him to answer.
This virus has created a myriad of requests from God’s children.
Some just want it to be over.
Some are wrestling with life itself having contracted this virus OR—something else that is debilitating.
Some are going stir crazy while others are literally going crazy trying to sort through all the issues.
As a follower of Christ—I am praying that He will use this time to get our attention.
Will we seek Him more and will we appreciate His church and the gifts He has given to each one?
Will we look for ways to share hope when so many feel hopeless in so many ways?
How hard is it for His to answer these prayer requests?
Not at all, right, compared to what He has already done.
I read a great prayer today which captures the thought of what is written above:
“What more could be done than thou hast done?
Thy death is my life.
Thy resurrection my peace.
Thy ascension my hope.
Thy prayers my comfort.
Jesus has already given the absolute best—anything else you and I ask of Him is just like asking for a box.
Fitting into His will—we can have the assurance that He hears and He answers to bring glory to Himself.