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The
Big Decision
Many
years ago, Mr. Griffin operated a drawbridge across the Mississippi River.
The bridge used to remain in a raised position to allow boats to pass back
and forth along the river. Every time a train was on its way, Mr. Griffin
would receive a phone call; he would then climb up the control tower and
lower the bridge. After the train had crossed the bridge, Mr. Griffin
would raise the bridge so that the boats could pass back and forth once
more.
One
day, Mr. Griffin was showing his young son, Jeremy, how he operated the
bridge across the river. Suddenly, as they were down by the large gears
that lifted the bridge, Mr. Griffin received a call. A voice said,
"Quick, Mr. Griffin, an unscheduled train is coming with over 500 people
on board. It's going 100 kilometers per hour. Put the bridge down
quickly."
Mr. Griffin turned to his son and said, "Jeremy,
you stand right here on this platform. Your daddy is going up to the
control tower to lower the bridge so that the train can pass over. Then I will
come back and show you around some more." "Sure daddy,"' said Jeremy
excitedly, "go ahead. I'll wait for you right here." So Mr. Griffin made
the 50-foot climb up to the control tower.
When
Mr. Griffin reached the control tower, he turned around and, to his
horror, he saw Jeremy climbing in among the huge gears in the engine room.
It would take at least 5 minutes for Mr. Griffin to climb down to the
gears, pull his son out, and get back up to the control tower. Five
minutes . . . but the train would be passing through in less than three
minutes at 100 kilometers an hour - and with more than 500 people on board. Mr.
Griffin had to make a decision . . .
Either he would push the lever down, sacrifice his
son's life, and allow the train to whisk across the bridge, or else he would save his son's life, leave the bridge up and watch
the train smash into the bridge and see over 500 passengers plummet to their
death.
`Mr.
Griffin made his decision. He put his hand to the
lever, pushed it down, and with pounding heart he watched as the wheels
began to turn. His son was drawn in and crushed to death just seconds
before the train came hurtling around the bend and dashed across the
bridge.
As
the train crossed over the bridge, not one passenger had any idea that Mr.
Griffin was pounding on the window of the control tower crying . . .
"People, people, people, don't you know what I have done so that you
might live?"'
But
the people sat comfortably in their seats, reading their newspapers and
gazing at the scenery, oblivious of the great sacrifice that had just been
made for them that day.
This
is a horrifying story indeed, and yet today so many of us can be likened
to the passengers on that train. We have become so absorbed with life that
we have all but forgotten the big decision that God once made for you and
I - when He decided to offer
His Son as a voluntary sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins.
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`He was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed
for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and
by his wounds we are healed.' (Isaiah 53:5) |
Would
God give the life of His beloved Son if He did not love you, dear
reader? Some have taught that God is harsh and exacting, but
how can this be true of One who was willing to give His Son to
die in your place?
It
was love that persuaded God to allow His Son to be crushed between "the gears of
sin" - unfathomable love. It was love that drove Jesus to pay the ultimate
price that you and I may be set free - unbounded love.
And
now, today, if you accept His love, and if you give yourself to
Him, then, sinful as your life may have been, God will accept
you just as if you had never sinned, He will consider Jesus
character as though it were your character, and He will invite
you to live with Him forever, not just as one who has been
reclaimed from the pits of degradation, but as His very own Son or
Daughter - as an heir of the universe.
This
is the good news in a nutshell. Jesus has paid the full price for your sinfulness
and mine - God pulled the lever, and Jesus was crushed for you and I. As a
result, we can rejoice in the sense of sins forgiven, and we can look
beyond death and the grave with utmost confidence. The blood of God's Son
bought
us hope - not just a fleeting hope, but a hope that is as sure as the next
sunrise.
If
you would like to meet this wonderful Jesus, we refer you to the feature
Friend of Friends. If you would like
to know more about this incredibly good news, you might like
to consider the feature Hope Unlimited. If you are having trouble with your
self-image then you will be greatly encouraged by the feature
Prescription
For Negative Thinkers. If you feel the need for change
in your life, than please consider the feature, A
Brand New You.
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