So little to lose..... So much to win!

As Mom and I walked out of the grocery store, I couldn’t help but notice him. A man, obviously poor and down on his luck...... life itself just hadn’t dealt kindly with him. He rested his chin on his hand, with his wallet tightly clenched in the other; he stared blankly at the lottery machine in front of him..... I could just hear him thinking to himself, "Which one should I get today?"  “Which one will win me that million dollars?........"

As I thought about how this poor man had become a captive of the "salesmen" of the lottery machine, for you know these salesmen are everywhere, billboards boast on every hand " John Doe wins 3 Trillion today!", "Jane doe hits the jackpot at 12 Trillion!" advertisments in the grocery stores, news of a friend winning thousands, and the list goes on. That poor man I thought, he doesn’t know that by buying that lottery ticket he is not only losing his money, but also the greatest riches anyone could ever receive....... a crown of life followed by the words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter in to the joy of thy Lord!"

But again another thought entered my mind..... I think all too often WE become captives of the "salesmen" in our lives, for you know they are on every corner, boasting of the joy and happiness that always seems to be just out of our reach....... our feet seem to be made of cement, we struggle on and on with our "purchases" that this "salesman" has promised will bring so much pleasure..... But it never seems to bring us anything but deeper pain and despair. But yet we still believe that "salesman" and we struggle on striving to reach that which seems to be just within our grasp.

I'm sure by now you know of what I’m referring to my friends! The “salesman” is our great enemy the devil, and the “purchases” are those sins “which doth so easily beset us". Every day we are deceived by that terrible "salesman" who makes his "products" look so valuable, so inexpensive and fun…… but yet are the worst things we could ever “purchase”.

Let us instead, in the strength of Jesus Christ resist that terrible “salesman” who seeks for us to “sell our birthright for a bowl of pottage.” Yes, let us instead listen to Him who says, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;……”Rev 3:18 “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” Is. 55:1-2

Let us hearken unto that still small voice all throughout our days, instead of falling captive to the tricks of the “salesmen” Let us purchase that Gold tried in the fire, that we may be clothed in that white raiment, that our Saviour so longs to bestow upon us!  It will take empty vessels my friends, that he will be able to fill us with this gold that has been tried in the fire.

Let us let Him empty us, that He may fill us! We have so little to loose....so much to win!

Pressing on,

Cortney