Free but not easy

Does receiving something free make it easier to accept? I think it might just make it more difficult.

I recently bought a membership to an online audiobook club. This site has hundreds of audiobooks available for download. Since I spend so much time in my car, I thought this would be a great investment. To make it even better, for signing up I received one “free” credit. I get a free audiobook!

That was almost a week ago. I have perused the site at least once a day trying to decide on which book I want to use my free credit. I still have not decided. Why is this so difficult? There are plenty of books available, and many in which I am interested.

I think the problem is that since I have only one “free” credit, I want to choose wisely. I want to get the most bang for my “free” buck. Who would want to waste a free pick on something that is not worth very much?

I began to wonder. (I always begin to wonder.) Does this indecisiveness have any implications for my life as a Christian? Yes, I think it does. (I always think it does.)

The problem I am having using my “free” credit is I know once it is gone, it is gone. I can’t go back and change my decision. Nothing else is free.

I wonder if some of us thing of the Gospel in similar terms. There is so much that we want; much that we know we need, yet we can’t quite believe that all God offers us in Jesus is actually free. Not “free,” but free.

Some of us, for instance, accept that God offers us forgiveness. Some of us accept that God offers us a joyful life. Some of us accept that God offers us victory over death. Some of us accept that God offers us healing for the wounds of our hearts.

But I wonder if we can really accept that God offers us ALL these things. We do not have to pick one! That’s what I call good news!