Day 34 "Grace: The Deciding Factor"

Your chance of winning the Mega Millions Lottery is 1 in 302,575,350 chances, accord- ing to some actuary who compiled the necessary data. To put that in proper prospective, let's take a trip across the United States from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The longest straight line would be from Florida to Washington: 2,802 miles. Lets assume we were able to walk a highway along this straight line. Let's multiply the miles by 5,280 feet per mile to give us 14,794,560 linear feet. Now, let us assume that we have 10 people standing side by side allowing for one square foot per individual. Taking up 10 feet wide, 14,794,560 feet long to cover traveling from Florida to Washington, would bring us to 147,945,600 square feet- taking one trip across the country! Considering that the odds are 302,575,350 to one, it would take us a little over two trips across the country to equal the odds of winning the lottery. So, imagine yourself starting at the farthest point in Florida and beginning to walk the highway. On the other side of the highway, going in the opposite direction, you see a continuous solid mass of people-10 people wide standing next to each other side by side for a far as the eye can see. All the way across the country, all the way back, and then turning around again to walk another 140 miles back towards Washington. And somewhere, in that sea of humanity, one person along the way raises their hands and says, "I won!"

When seeing the odds of winning the lottery put in that frame of mind, one could easily conclude why throw away good money on what is clearly a very slim chance of winning at all (It is amazing to think some people feel that if they buy 10 or 100 tickets that their chances of winning have really gone up for them). But if you don't purchase a ticket, you are guaranteed not to win, right?

So, let's say you purchased the winning ticket: $350 million dollars! (Less taxes of course!) Would it change your life? Would you quit your job? Now let's suppose God came along and congratulated you and then said, "If you would like to reconcile your relationship with me and have eternal life, it will cost you everything you just won." Would you turn it all over to God to purchase it? Think about it for a while and let the magnitude of what God is saying settle in. In reality, we know that no amount of money whatsoever could purchase the gift that Jesus paid for with his life. It is priceless and non purchasable.

"Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

"for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:29

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" Ephesians 2:8

"The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of

life." Revelation 22:17

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1;3

Despite what may occur here on Earth, no matter how much in assets that you accumulate, no matter what level of comfort you have derived, all that your eyes behold is temporary-it will pass one day. And the longer one considers eternity to this world, the less significant this world becomes. I say this to also encourage those of you who have struggled in this life with little or no assets to call your own- in Christ, you are a child of God, co-heir with Christ and your spiritual inheritance is significant! Though physically you may think of yourself as suffering, a pauper, nothing but a raggamuffin, the day is coming for you to experience all of God's blessings that he has in-store for his people.

"However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what

no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—" 1 corinithians 2:9

We all are saved only by God's grace. It is God's gift out of love to us. Can't buy it! Can't earn it! Can't lose it! When the circumstances around you speak to you as trials and tribulations, when they cause you to feel unworthy and valueless, when all hope through your worldly eyes seem to all but disappear, take comfort in knowing that this, too, shall pass, but God's love for you and plan for your future remain in place. Take courage. Have faith in the grace that God did it all for you and is preparing the way for your future.

" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “ to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

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It is our hope in the grace that God bestowed upon us through his Son, Jesus Christ, that is the deciding factor in knowing God's love and trusting it to shine a light upon a pathway to take us home.

Given a winning lottery ticket to $350 million dollars or eternal life and knowing God through Jesus, which would you choose?

In Christ, you are already spiritually rich and already blessed! For us, it was free, God's gift to us! For Christ, it cost him everything he had to give!

What will you do with the gift and how will you live the remaining days of your life?

Be a blessing to others today knowing that you are so loved.

See you tomorrow...