Good Thursday morning! My birth father, Denzil, out in West Virginia wanted to pass along that they had 31 inches of snow as of yesterday, and expected to get more. Yikes! That's a lot of snow. Pastor Doug wanted to pass along his gratitude that Congress has been called off on account of snow; it seems they do a lot less harm when not in session. Well, what do we do out here in Western Nebraska? It seems that winter has grabbed up much of the eastern lands this year and will not easily let go. I have heard that the global warming folks want to use various methods to cool the planet. I wonder how well that suggestion would go down out east this morning? Perhaps we should think twice and pray many more times before we start large efforts to mess with the planet's weather.
Tonight the Valentine's Day festivities begin. We will start with a little meeting to set up tables and chairs for the events this weekend. Men and women will hit the stores to buy a small gift for their particular valentine, and some folks will buy many gifts to give to many valentines in what may be a misguided effort to find one permanent valentine. I know about the second part because I tried doing that some years back. I can tell you that it doesn't work. Trying to gain a valentine by using what amounts to a marketing campaign doesn't endear a person to any one of the recipients. You see they get together and compare your approach, the gift, and you in general. If you get the same gift for all of them, you're in trouble; if you get different gifts for each of them... you're really in trouble! If you miss one potential valentine on your list, you're better off calling in sick the next day. Valentines like to be remembered, but that's only part of the equation; he or she also likes to be special. Giving out 50 or 100 valentine's doesn't make any one of them feel very special.
We like to feel special. If you receive the Publishers Clearing House letter, it probably doesn't make you feel very special since everyone gets 'em. However, a note or card from an individual addressed directly to you does make you feel special. A few years ago, Jesus addressed a love note directly to each one of us. After God had created you to be a special and unique creation of His very own, He sent His own Son to save you. How can I say this? Didn't Jesus die for everyone?
Look at it this way. When a ransom is paid, the person for whom that ransom is paid is named. A kidnapper demands a ransom per person and the party paying the ransom names the person he or she is buying back. A kidnapper might have many victims and you want your loved one back, not just any victim. I think that Jesus had to do the same for us. He named each person as He paid the price on the cross. That doesn't mean that Jesus went through and said, "I'll pay for her, but not that guy." Remember that when you are saved your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Yup, those folks are the ones Jesus named in His ransom payment. Sin already holds all of us hostage at birth. However, unlike with earthly kidnappers, we the victims can say, "I accept!" and Jesus pays the ransom. Jesus will take any victim who believes in Him, and He names each one by name. Now that, makes me feel special!
Have a great pre-Valentine's Day special friend and love of Jesus our Lord!
Bucky
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