Grace Given

  “Imagine with me that there is a two story house that is engulfed in flames. Firefighters have not yet arrived. By one of the second story windows stands a precious little girl. She is scared to death, and she is crying her eyes out. She cannot save herself. Without someone to save her, she will die.

   “The first fireman on the scene is a big, burly fellow, and he hears the little girl’s cries. He goes to the front door and finds it locked. He throws his full weight against it with all of his strength, and the door is ripped from its hinges. He goes inside to the stairway. The smoke and flames feel like they cook his lungs. He staggers up the stairs to get to the little girl. He comes to the room she is in and finds the door shut. He reaches out with his left hand and grabs the doorknob, and the blistering hot doorknob sears his left palm. He automatically snatches his hand back. Then he grits his teeth and grabs that doorknob with his right hand, and opens the door to the room that the little girl is in, and he reaches out to her with two damaged hands…

   “Now, you write the rest of that story. Does the little girl throw her arms around the fireman’s neck, and say, ‘Thank you for saving me,’ or does she turn her back and say, ‘No thank you?’

   “Around two thousand years ago, God Almighty left heaven and came to earth, becoming a Man, all by His own design. He allowed Himself to be arrested, unjustly tried, falsely convicted, horribly beaten, terribly humiliated, and then crucified on a barbaric Roman cross by nails being driven through His hands and His feet.  He died, and was then buried, again, all by His own design. But in three days, He broke free from the grave, and He stood as he still stands today, in glory, offering salvation. He reaches out two nail scarred hands…to you.

   “This is a true story where God allows you to write the next chapter. Will you reach out and take His hands and say, ‘Thank You, Jesus,’ or will you turn your back and say, ‘No thank You?’ Won’t you come and receive Jesus, come and accept His offer of salvation? I will pray with you if you will come.”