A young boy was visiting the Washington Monument and walked up to one of the park staff to disclose that he was interested in purchasing the monument to bring back to his home. The park ranger, wanting to humour the child, asked the boy how much money he had in his wallet. The boy took his wallet out, counted up his change, and announced he had $1.88 to offer in exchange for the monument. The park ranger replied: “Well, first, the monument isn’t for sale. Second, even if it were for sale, it’s worth much more money than you could afford to pay. Third, since you are a citizen of the United States, it already belongs to you.” The analogy to forgiveness: we can’t buy it (God offers it to us freely), we can’t earn it (i.e. there’s nothing we can give up that would be enough to buy our forgiveness unless God had made the perfect sacrifice for us), and, upon accepting Christ, we have become citizens of God’s kingdom and have received forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice. I thought the analogy was both cute and beautifully accurate.
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.
Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!
Top
