You may remember those Mastercard commercials that mention those things in life that money can’t buy. One commercial revolves around a father taking his son to a baseball game, “Two tickets: $46. Two hot dogs, two popcorns, two sodas: $27. One autographed baseball: $50. Real conversation with 11 year old son: priceless. There are some things money can’t buy; for everything else there’s Mastercard”. There are certainly things in life that you can not put a price tag on.
One thing that we learn from Scripture is how much God values us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” is known even by many that are not Christians. God values and loves us so much that he gave up his son to be tortured and murdered in this world so that we could be redeemed. Christianity has always promoted the value of human life. It is part of our Western culture. We will do everything we can to save a human life. I fear that this will change always promoted the value of human life. It is part of our Western culture. We will do everything we can to save a human life. I fear that this will change as our culture becomes more secular and godless.
You may remember the story of the Chilean miners who were stuck underground when the mine they were in collapsed. Every day there were updates in the news. Rescuers did everything they could to keep the miners alive and get them out. The whole rescue operation that saved 33 lives cost somewhere around twenty million dollars. That is quite a bit of money, but most people would say that it was worth it.
I’m sure that all of us would do what we could if we had a beloved family member whose life was in danger. If money was required we would do our best to get it. If we had to put ourselves in danger we would take the risk. It would break our hearts to see them die. But as believers there is another death that we need to be concerned about. And that is spiritual death. Whereas physical death is the separation of the soul/spirit from the body; spiritual death is the separation of the soul/spirit from God. Scripture teaches us that we come spiritually dead into this world. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
This is not news to us. But the reason I bring it up is to ask if we show the same urgency and concern for spiritual death as we do for physical death. We will bwe use all of our energy and resources to keep someone from physical death but how far do we go to keep others from spiritual death? I have been asking myself this question recently. Am I really putting the time into prayer for the lost that I can? Is praying all that I can do? Is there an appropriate level of urgency?
Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of those that need rescuing. If we were trapped in a cave we would want the rescuers to do everything they can to save us. Imagine if they told us that the rescue operation was just too costly to continue. How terrible that would be! Now imagine if people had said the same about our spiritual death. “It is just too much effort to keep praying for that person’s salvation.” “I don’t want to fast because I don’t like being hungry.” “I will only pray for your salvation for so long and then after that you are on your own.” “I don’t want to share the Gospel with that person because I could get embarrassed.” How terrible that would be as well!
Each of us had people interceding for us when we were spiritually dead and we are so thankful for that. Let us remember that there are many that need us to do the same for them. Let’s not let the Enemy lull us into apathy or a lack of urgency.
1 Timothy 2:1, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
