A few days ago we were waiting at a bus stop. There was posted an advertisement I had seen before. This time I decided to re-read it thinking doing so would fill the waiting time for the bus to arrive. It was an advertisement by an insurance company advising a benefit  newly they have added to their original car insurance product. In large print it reads, “Only …. will rescue you for free.” The large attractive script, no doubt they hoped, would be noticed and stimulate the reader to purchase their new “free” product. So much for “free”!! The purchaser will only get the “free” option provided they had already brought the original product. If the reader desired the benefit, but did not own the original product, they would have to buy it. Coming with the “free” addition, of course, would be a commitment to the annual fee for the whole thing to continue!

From a Christian perspective it got me thinking. “What did I have to pay when I received the gifts from God when I asked Jesus to be my Saviour and Lord?” Some of these gifts being: my sins are forgiven when I own them and confess them. John assured us of this, “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I have been adopted into the family of God. John also wrote “all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. I have been granted eternal life. Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I have the assurance of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me to teach and strengthen me in my walk of faith. Jesus said, “when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

For this to be ours there was a cost but not to us, as Paul reminded the Ephesians, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. What then was the cost? Isaiah prophesied when looking forward to Jesus’ incarnation. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

With thanksgiving to God’s love read through Toplady’s hymn below.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the Fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyelids close in death
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.