A Most Valuable Commodity

Not long ago I was over at one of my children's homes for a family get-together. My daughter started showing me Pokémon cards, which my grandkids are into collecting. Turns out they are a lot like baseball cards were back when I was a kid. The big difference is that some Pokémon cards can be worth serious money right out of the package, whereas baseball cards often took decades to build any real value. Because of this, some people are known to buy out entire store stocks on the chance that one high-value card is hiding in the lot. I even heard of one card selling for a million dollars recently.

That got me thinking about the merchant in the story found in Matthew 13:45-46, the merchant who found a pearl of great price. He went out and sold everything he had just to buy it. The parallel is clear: the salvation Christ brought to us is like that pearl. Scripture even calls it a treasure we carry in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7).

In a very real sense, obtaining this treasure should cost us everything. The only problem is we could never come up with enough. God knew that, so He made it free.

But here is the real wonder of it all. God looked at us, these earthen vessels we live in and are made of, and saw something worth pursuing. He valued us so much that He sent His Son to give up everything He had, His riches in glory, to come and buy us back and redeem us unto Himself.

Dear brothers and sisters, that is worth far more than any Pokémon or baseball card, even one worth a million dollars.

Let's become more diligent in prayer, that more and more people across Colorado, these United States, and the world will come to know, value, and experience this great gift of salvation. I for one want that more than ever.