Cost is free but price is enormous

I owned a lab named Bear for fourteen years. I loved that old dog with all of my heart. He finally reached a point where he was arthritic and in pain constantly and I had to do what every longtime pet owner hates to do, I had to euthanize him. I couldn’t bear to make the arrangements and asked a friend to do it while my family was out of town vacationing in Hawaii.

We left for vacation and it was one of the saddest moments of my life as I said goodbye to old Bear for the last time. Tears flooded my eyes and I wiped at them with the back of my hand hoping that no one would see me crying over a stupid old dog, (who just happened to be my best friend).

We went on to Hawaii and it was difficult to enjoy our vacation as the entire family grieved his loss. When we returned in three weeks and I turned into my long driveway and approached my home, the sadness hit me again. One thing I could always count on was that no matter how difficult my day had been old Bear would be standing there wagging his big old tail whenever I drove up, and it would invariably put a smile on my face. This time it would be different; this time it would just be cold, lonely, and empty.

I was mulling this over as I approached the house, when all of a sudden Old Bear came walking around the garage with that big old tail wagging sideways so hard he could hardly keep his balance and he had a wide grin on his old gray muzzle.

I exclaimed, “Lazarus You have arisen! Praise the Lord!”

Actually he had not arisen; my friend who had agreed to put him down loved old Bear almost as much as our family did and just couldn’t bring himself to do it either. It was a great reunion, albeit short-lived. I still had to deal with it, and a couple of weeks later with great sadness old Bear was put to sleep. This time it was final and he was relieved of the pain and suffering that he had begun to endure.

I’m going to Maui for vacation in a couple of weeks and this incident came to mind this morning. I was thinking of how wonderful it must have been for Lazarus and his family when Jesus raised him from the dead. He had died and been buried and yet was given additional time to enjoy being with his family and friends again. I can only relate in a small way with old Bear, but after grieving his loss and saying my goodbyes, it was wonderful to receive an opportunity to spend some extra time with him before I had to let him go again. I can only imagine what it must have been like for the family and friends of Lazarus.

Obviously God put this event in the Bible to demonstrate that Jesus had power over life and death and perhaps to foreshadow His own resurrection; however I believe that if we look deep we can enjoy it in the context of what I have related today.

Just imagine the homecoming that Lazarus received and then think of the homecoming that Christians will enjoy with relatives and friends who have gone on before us when we finally get to heaven. Jesus will welcome us and escort us to the mansion that He has prepared especially for us and we will bask in wonderment at the absolute glory, joy, and peace of unimaginable heaven for all eternity. There will be no additional goodbyes and no more death, tears, or sadness.

There will be no reunions for non-Christians and there is no hope for them after death. The Bible makes clear that those who die apart from the blood of Jesus will spend eternity alone and Jesus Himself said on more than one occasion that they will agonize and suffer greatly forever

The cost of salvation is free for the asking, but the price of rejection of the salvation that can come only from Jesus is enormous. Jesus loves you, won’t you answer His call? Go to church this Sunday!

John 3:16
For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not
Perish, but have everlasting life.