word a day (9): Isaiah 54:2

EXPENSE... what does it cost? Usually the better something is, the more expensive it can become. I can confess to you that I am what you might consider a name brand lover. I will only purchase Adidas or Puma sneakers. There is something about the color that illuminates from a new pair grab my attention every time i walk down 5th or Broadway which are lined with shoe stores (my favorite being "Electronics and Shoes Inc."... only in NYC). But the truth is that these shoes generally have a considerably long life span. The neon yellow/silver adidas which adorn my feet at this moment, were purchased at least four years ago. You pay for fashion, or durability, or just because a brand is popular. 

So now back from that rabbit trail... It cost Christ His life to save the soul of every man ,woman,  and child who will except Him. To make a way that we can have a personal relationship with God no matter what nationality or culture we come from, but what does it cost you and me?

1 Romans 6, Paul talks about us joining Christ in death. This does not conclude in us going upon hills nearby and constructing crosses for ourselves, I promise. When we accept Christ and make Him the leader of our lives, we submit. We die to ourselves, our sinful nature, our past regrets. And just as Christ rose from the grave, so will we have new lives. A life that is no longer centered around our own selves. It costs us everything. Our all. We lay everything down for Christ, that pearl of great price. That can be pretty pricey for some. In a world that cries out "Me, Me, Me!!!!" it can be hard. We are trained to care for ourselves and then fold onto what is ours. This is why it is called an expense. It is casting aside our selfish "me me me" wants and focusing on what God wants for us. 

word a day (8): Isaiah 54:2

AND SPARE NOT... to spare is to hold back. Our God is not one who in known to hold back. To those who serve Him, He continually pours out abundance and blessing. Being made in 

God's image, would that not in-tale that we were never a people created to hold back. Sometimes work can bog me down, or something happens in my family that leaves me feeling low. There are even times when church can wear me out(you can account to this if you have been in bible college and have spent every single day of your week in the church). But not one of these is a legitimate reason to spare time or attention from God and His call in my life. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9 that we not only are running a race, but we should be running so that we will win. We have to give it our all every day. This isn't a competitive race. We aren't competing to "get to God" before our peers, we are running out our own race. We are constantly challenging the pace we set the day before. The goal is to run with my eyes fixed on Christ. On His insurmountable love. On His grace that is undeserved. On His example he set before us and is available to us if we just open the pages of that book we only pull out for church services. The goal is for me to run this race, sparing no amount of energy, no amount of time, and no amount of effort.