Aug. 2 – Thoughts on Psalm 60-62 & Romans 5

A plague hits the world, spreading across the globe until every person on earth is infected.  The gestation period is 4 months, at which time victims die a painful, horrible death.  Fear grips the world and people begin to turn on one another.  Until a report comes that one person has a cure.

What is the rest of this story?  What does this person with the cure do?

Maybe he sells it to the highest bidders.  Charge a ridiculous price and make millions, billions.  People will pay anything, so he sells it and becomes the richest person in history.  But the poor die in their poverty.

Or maybe he uses it for power.  “Obey me and I’ll give you the cure.”  Enslaving the whole world, he becomes the King of Earth.  But the disobedient die in their rebellion.

Or maybe he uses this as an opportunity to make the world a better place.  He sets up a utopia, ruled by his idea of what’s best for humankind, and only those who will agree to his Utopian vision get the cure.  The rest die in their disagreement.

But what if he simply gave it away to everyone freely?  No strings, no rankings, no payment… it was yours if you’d just come and take it.  Those living in constant fear and anxiety about their lives and the final 4 months they had to live would suddenly find themselves free, at peace with the world, and filled with a hope they thought they’d lost.  All he asks is that they go and tell everyone they know about this cure and where to find it.

Sadly, some think this is too good to be true and never come for the cure.  They die in their disbelief, not because they are poor, or rebellious, or disagree with the cure-giver, but simply because they cannot believe that salvation could possibly be free.