everything has its price. or...does it?
men can pretty much be bought out of anything. it seems that everything has its price.
my dad tells a story of a man who was driving through the Monterey, CA area. at a ranch he came across a huge wooden water trough with beautiful carvings on the sides. he asked the owner of the ranch how much he would sell the trough for. anything, name the price. he wanted it. no price was too high. "it's not for sale." the owner didn't care about money, the trough was not for sale. the man tried and tried and even offered millions, but he could not convince the owner to sell it. "it belongs on this ranch, i will not sell it and allow it to leave this ranch." but the man was determined. so, what did he do? he bought the entire ranch. trough and all.
the trough did have a price. the man just needed to go high enough.
but this is not true for all things--to the Christian, Christ has no price.
this fact has been proven over and over again throughout history as men have tried and failed to get Christians to renounce their faith. they've been offered money, bribes. they've been threatened with beatings, torture, killing of their loved ones, even their own horrific deaths. but here is one thing that truly cannot be bought out, no matter what the price: Christ cannot be bought, traded, or exchanged.
"I beseech you...after this day, convene all your lovers before your soul; and give them their leave, and strike hands with Christ, that thereafter there may be no happiness to you but Christ; no hunting for anything but Christ; no bed at night (when death cometh) but Christ; Christ, Christ, who but Christ? I know this much of Christ, he is not so ill to be found, not lordly of his love; woe had been my part of it for evermore, if Christ had made a dainty of himself to me; but God be thanked, I gave nothing for Christ; and now I protest, before men and angels, Christ cannot be exchanged; Christ cannot be sold, Christ cannot be weighed." ~Samuel Rutherford
my dad tells a story of a man who was driving through the Monterey, CA area. at a ranch he came across a huge wooden water trough with beautiful carvings on the sides. he asked the owner of the ranch how much he would sell the trough for. anything, name the price. he wanted it. no price was too high. "it's not for sale." the owner didn't care about money, the trough was not for sale. the man tried and tried and even offered millions, but he could not convince the owner to sell it. "it belongs on this ranch, i will not sell it and allow it to leave this ranch." but the man was determined. so, what did he do? he bought the entire ranch. trough and all.
the trough did have a price. the man just needed to go high enough.
but this is not true for all things--to the Christian, Christ has no price.
this fact has been proven over and over again throughout history as men have tried and failed to get Christians to renounce their faith. they've been offered money, bribes. they've been threatened with beatings, torture, killing of their loved ones, even their own horrific deaths. but here is one thing that truly cannot be bought out, no matter what the price: Christ cannot be bought, traded, or exchanged.
"I beseech you...after this day, convene all your lovers before your soul; and give them their leave, and strike hands with Christ, that thereafter there may be no happiness to you but Christ; no hunting for anything but Christ; no bed at night (when death cometh) but Christ; Christ, Christ, who but Christ? I know this much of Christ, he is not so ill to be found, not lordly of his love; woe had been my part of it for evermore, if Christ had made a dainty of himself to me; but God be thanked, I gave nothing for Christ; and now I protest, before men and angels, Christ cannot be exchanged; Christ cannot be sold, Christ cannot be weighed." ~Samuel Rutherford
posted by Elias at 01:41
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