I noticed this empty Take One box just a day after seeing a Free brochure holder, also empty. So many things leave us with empty promises, don’t they?
God doesn’t. His promises cover so much more time, and while they are free, they do have requirements, just as anything else that is offered to us free – only His are never, ever empty.
The first freebie we received is the ability to recognize Him as our Lord and commit to His service here on earth.
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:2-3 KJV)
Hmmm. I sure don’t remember being brought out of Egypt, but I do know that in the beginning He created the heavens and the earth. That’s why the next verse means so much to me:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14-16 KJV)
The world. Not those brought out of Egypt. The world. That’s me. And, you. For God gave, freely:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32 KJV)
Just in case we didn’t catch that the first time, Paul says it again:
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12 KJV)
So, what are the requirements? Back to Exodus for the first part:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)
I didn’t say it would be easy. Then we have to understand the answer to the jailor’s question:
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:30-31 KJV)
Not easy. But, it is free. Never empty, always free.
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