Yesterday was sunny and warming by the hour. I decided to walk to lunch to meet my dear friend. It took me longer than I expected and I was ravenous when I got there. I have been fasting from the foods that have caused issues in my tissues, so I knew I would have to choose carefully from the menu. I picked the quinoa salad.
When the salad arrived there were slices of chicken splayed across the top. “Oh”, I exclaimed, “I did not order the chicken, I am vegetarian.” The server explained the quinoa salad always has chicken on it. I must have forgotten that, or I would have asked them to hold it. “Could I have a plate please so I can remove it?” I asked. She offered to take the salad to the back and remove it.
I never imagined I would be high maintenance. I do not consider myself that person. I made sure I tipped her well for the extra trouble, even though my arugula, quinoa and carrot salad was now overpriced. Paying the price has been the consequence for many of my mistakes. It feels like punishment and maybe it is. This leads me to the one who paid the price for my sins.
Jesus paid it all. 1 John 2:2 “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” He was punished for every sin of every person. That would be countless, or perhaps we could call it a googol. What price tag can be put on the reparation of so many mistakes? There is no greater love than to erase all our sins- especially by accepting torture and death in our place.
The great love of Jesus is why so many people accept His way as the truth. We have freedom from our sins through God’s loving forgiveness.
It may be baffling that one man would offer His life for us. It is even more mysterious that He is part of a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that invites us to a perfect life that is free from pain and sorrow. Religious and Scientific people have both experienced encounters with Jesus that have convinced them of the unseen reality. We can harness this power when we trust and believe when we trust and believe.The power of love is the greatest.
My salad was enough to sustain and nourish me. My fast should become the way I eat every day. I will live better without dairy, desserts, gluten, or cocktails. Wild caught fish and eggs are still a good source of protein for me to maintain energy and a balanced diet.
If you have struggled with the price tag for physical or spiritual health, do not despair. Jesus paid the price. Give God the glory and let your generous tip be a life dedicated to all that is good and noble. Bon Appetite.
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