Daily Devotional for November 9, 2018
Really Free
“Look, Dad!” Larissa said when Dad stopped at a traffic light one Saturday afternoon. “That sign says ‘Free car wash.’”
Just then, a young man leaned toward the open window. “Would you like a car wash?” he asked, pointing to the parking lot behind him where a group of teenagers were spraying down a car. “It’s free!”
“Sure it is,” Dad said with a snort. “Free for a donation, right?”
“No, it really is free! Honest!” the young man replied. But Dad was sure there was a catch, so he drove home.
Larissa got out and looked at the car. “Wow. This car really does need to be washed.”
Dad nodded in agreement. “Let’s get out the hose and rags and get at it.”
When Mom saw what they were doing, she stopped them. “Take the car over to the high school. They’re giving free car washes today.”
Dad smirked. “You fell for that line? There’s got to be a catch to it.”
“No, there isn’t,” Mom assured him. “I got an email saying several businesses pledged money for every car the kids wash. The money goes to the local food bank. The more cars they wash, the more money the food bank will get, but it won’t cost you a cent.”
“Really?” Dad hurried to the car. “Come on, Larissa. Let’s go put those kids to work!”
As Dad pulled into the high school parking lot, there was just one man loading a hose into a truck. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed,” he said. “If you had come a little earlier, we would have been glad to wash your car, but now it’s too late. The kids are gone and the equipment is put away.”
Larissa groaned as they drove away. “You missed a free car wash just because you wouldn’t believe it was free.”
Dad sighed. “You’re right.” He looked at Larissa thoughtfully. “That’s how it is with God’s gift of salvation too. We might want to think there’s a catch to it—that we have to pay or work for our salvation in some way. But God says it’s a gift—it’s free. Jesus paid the price of our sin by dying on the cross so we could have His free gift of eternal life.” – Charles Vander Meer
How about you?
Did you know that eternal life is a gift? It really is free. You can’t earn a gift or pay for it in any way. All you can do is accept it. Today God offers you that gift, but someday, it will be too late to receive it. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Trust Jesus as your Savior now and receive His free gift of eternal life today. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)
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