"Hey Cristina."
"Hey girl. Sorry, but you can't come in, it's policy not to enter each others' rooms."
Her shoulders slumped and the smile lost its shine. "Ok," she turned to walk back out and down the hall. Earlier she had told me she wished she were in my cabin for camp this year. She had approached me a couple times to talk, but it was in a crowded room or in the middle of an activity. I jumped up and closed the distance between us.
"We can talk in the hall though. How are you doing?"
As we talked about her experience at camp, I wondered why she continually drew near to me. We hadn't had much of a relationship before camp, so it seemed unusual that she would want to talk more now. Suddenly it dawned on me.
I paid for her to come to camp.
A week earlier when I heard that her dad hadn't been able to save for her to come, it weighed heavy on my heart. So I told her I really wanted her to be able to come, and said if she really wanted to, I would pay for her.
I showed her that she was wanted and made a way for her to be here.
Her response is beautiful and touching. A mere "thank you" is not enough for her, she doesn't just enjoy camp no matter how she got there. She continues to seek me out. She desires a relationship.
Her response should be our response.
God made a way for us, showed us that we are wanted, we are loved. There was no way that we could pay for our sins, so He paid the price himself. Too often our response is, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind as I go about the business of life," when it ought to be like hers: I just want to spend time with you and know you more.
God made the way for us to have something we want, eternal life in heaven. This is not just a ticket to heaven to save until needed, a "Get out of hell free" card, so to speak. Jesus describes it this way:
"Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
Eternal life doesn't start when our bodies physically die. It's not about living forever in another life. It's starts now. It's about knowing Him from now into eternity.
Since the way has been made, the price has been paid, our response should be gratitude displayed in relationship - a desire to be near Him.
If we don't desire to be near the Living God, then maybe we don't understand the price he paid to make that possible. Maybe we don't really know Him. Let us desire more than the good things we can get from God. Desire Him.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
