You're invited and I'll pay
When you go out to coffee, or to dinner, who pays?
Generally in America there are no expectations when we go out to lunch or coffee with friends; unless it's a prospective future boyfriend for us ladies we will talk about whether or not he paid and decide if it was officially a date. In Albania the culture is that the invitee pays for you. My team and I were very blessed by this concept and were happy to bless the youth throughout the month as well so we could spend time with them.
Then one day it hit me… The INVITEE PAYS!!! Jesus has invited us to ask HIM to be a part of our lives, To seek HIM first, to follow Him where He leads.. Jesus Paid it ALL!! All we have to do is accept the gift that HE has given us- HE went to the cross because of MY transgressions and HE gave me Eternal life. When I accepted Christ as my savior there was NOTHING that I owed HIM in return, and I still don't owe HIM anything.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 ASV)
Often on the world race I have been asked why I have chosen to give this time to serve others. As we meet others that come from world religions that are works based they might at first think that I am on the race because I am doing a good deed. However, I'm not here to complete a check off list of good works, I'm on the world race because Jesus loves me so much, I want to share this gift with others around the world. I'm blessed to be serving God's kingdom in this way, it's not me, it's the Jesus in me that is able to love and serve the people around the world.
Take time and ponder the power of the cross. The strength that comes from the cross and the love that is there for us. Jesus has invited us to accept HIM into our lives, to give Him total control. HE has chosen to love us; have YOU chosen to accept Him into you life?
