FREE

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8&9

How many times have I fallen for the “buy one get one free” sales gimmick? I love getting something for “free.”

Our local grocery store deli makes a delicious turkey sandwich. Imagine my surprise when they told me my sandwich was free. I had bought eight of them in the past so they did not charge me for the ninth one.

Recently the battery went dead in my car. My husband came home from the auto parts store with the weirdest look on his face. He told me he did not have to pay for the new battery because the old one had not outlasted its warranty.

Free, you gotta love it!

Well, guess what! Salvation is free! Hard to believe? Yes, but it is absolutely the free gift of God. That seems too simple.

Just like the sandwich and my battery I could have said, “No! I cannot let you give it to me for free! I must pay!” What a prideful attitude to have. I would hate to use that same pride with God. God choses to give us salvation as a gift.

Free! He paid for it with the death of His Son on the cross so I could believe and accept it for free. What a deal!

All my sins are paid for, but not by me. No toll will be taken, no ticket bought, no price paid by me -- just believe and receive. The sacrificial price already paid by the giver not the receiver.

Free – too good to be true? In this case not at all.

Father, thank you for the free gift of salvation. I cannot imagine the cost if I had to pay for my sins myself.

Susan P.