Everything

A father stood at his seventeen year old daughter’s side and never opened his mouth. She stood before the judge who read the charge on the traffic ticket and then asked, “How do you plead.”

“Guilty,” was all she said.

The judge proceeded to access the fine and the two walked side by side out of the courtroom. At the clerks window the father surprised his daughter and pulled out his checkbook and paid her fine. “I’ll take care of this one for you because I love you; just don’t let it happen again.” For the father the $100 fine was a day’s work, but for his daughter it was all she had. I can just imagine how this girl must have felt giving her daddy a big hug. Her fine was paid, a gift from a loving father.

Some may argue that this father kept his daughter from experiencing the consequences of her actions. While we may debate his actions I see not only a picture of our heavenly Father’s love for us, but also our response to the Lord for the great gift He has given to us.

• [4] Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you” . . . [10] Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return to Jerusalem, singing songs of everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be overcome with joy and gladness.
  Isaiah 35:4, 10 (NLT)

God stands beside us in the courtroom of heaven. The charges of a lifetime of sin are read; we hang our head in shame. All we can say is, “Guilty.”

But then the Father says, “Guilty yes, but you have accepted my gift; I sent my Son to pay the penalty for you. You are free.”

I’m thankful that God was willing to pay my “fine” and didn’t just stand there and make me pay it. It truly would have cost me EVERYTHING. But God has rescued me; He paid the ransom so I can be free. Hallelujah! Everlasting joy will break forth in song.

I think that’s the thing about genuine repentance; it knows the price that was paid; just like the daughter knew what it cost for her to be free. She hasn’t done it again; maybe it’s gratitude.