A Price to be Paid

        She stood accused, condemned, and ashamed. She had already been declared guilty and would face the death sentence. The worst part of it all is that she deserved it. She had done wrong time and time again. She deserved the punishment she faced. She wore filthy rags as clothes and felt as dirty inside as her clothes were on the outside. She hung her head in shame as the crowd mocked her.

Just when all hope seemed lost a voice echoed through the crowd. “How much?” The powerful voice said. She opened her eyes to see a Man dressed like royalty approach. The people parted to make way for Him to come through. “How much to redeem her?”

The person who condemned her thought it through. “A life for a life. No amount of gold or silver will redeem her. Her crimes are too much to be paid for anything less than blood. Only another person’s life can be the ransom.”

The crowd silently waited for the Man’s response.

The girl didn’t want to even dare to hope. She met His eyes and was overwhelmed by the grace, compassion, and love she saw. No one had ever looked at her in such a way. She didn’t see any spite in His eyes. But mercy overflowed.

“I offer my life in return for hers.” The Man replied quietly.

Everyone was shocked to silence. The girl’s eyes pooled with tears as she looked at the Man who just offered to die for her. He didn’t look at her with once ounce of regret in His eyes. Again she felt overwhelmed by the grace, love, and compassion.

She felt as her chains were unlocked and she stumbled into the crowd. The Man was placed in chains… chains that she deserved, not Him. She watched as He was beaten and mocked - that was what she deserved. She walked behind the crowd as they followed the Man surrounded by guards, leading to where He would die.

When she saw a cross she wanted to vomit and cry out about the outrage and injustice the Man was being dealt. But He offered to take her place.

She ran ahead of the crowd to where the Man walked slowly, dragging the heavy chains behind Him.
“Why?” She asked. “Why did you offer to take my place? Why are you willing to die for me?”
The Man gave a sad smile. “Daughter, I love you as my own. It is because of the love I have, and My Father has for you, that I’m about to die in your place. You’ve been redeemed. Live in the freedom I have given you.”

She stopped walking as they nailed His wrists and hands to the cross. She screamed out in horror as the blood trickled down and His face reflected His agony. The cross was lifted up as He was stretched across it. She wanted to close her eyes to the inhuman act but couldn’t seem to.

Darkness fell over the land. She waited when she heard the Man say, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

Forgive? How could He forgive them? Why did He offer that love and freedom to her? How could He forgive her, who didn’t deserve any forgiveness.

“It is finished!” The Man cried out in a powerful voice. All at once she saw His chest stop moving. The Man was dead.

In despair the girl walked away. She wandered around for days, remaining in her rags and filth. How could she be free? How could she, after all she had done wrong, be free? She had sinned for so long and had been so dirty… how could she be forgiven and cleansed now? At last her strength wore too thin and she collapsed upon a pile of dust.

The sound of a person walking awakened her. She opened her eyes slowly and sat up, hardly believing what was in front of her. The Man stood, wearing pure white, love radiant through His eyes, in front of her.

“Stand up, Beloved. Why do you sit among the dust and filth? I have redeemed you, set you free. Live in the freedom and love I offer. You’ve been forgiven of your past mistakes so dwell on them no longer.” He said lovingly, holding out a hand.

The girl accepted His help up and she stood up in awe. “How are you alive? I watched as the breath left your body.”

“Ah but I am innocent. My Father raised Me from the dead.” The Man answered.

“I am not worth it. I wasn’t worth You dying for. I don’t deserve love or grace.” The girl looked away, ashamed.”

“Beloved, I set you free. Your worth is in My love.” He said. “Now come, let Me introduce you to the love I offer.”

He held out His hand and without hesitation she accepted.


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That's a fictional story I wrote. But it's based on what Jesus did for us and holds truths to remember.

I stood, accused and condemned, facing my punishment that I deserved. I deserve eternal separation from God. But then His love and grace came pouring through. Jesus died on a cross two thousand years ago so that we could be set free.

Sometimes I hear people saying that we are worth it. That we were worth Jesus dying for. But that’s not it. The most amazing thing about Jesus dying for us is that we DON'T deserve it. Our worth isn’t in us, but in Him. Our worth is in the love He offers.

Isaiah 52:1-3, “Wake up, wake up; put on your strength, Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the Holy City! For the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer enter you. Stand up, shake the dust off yourself! Take your seat, Jerusalem. Remove the bonds from your neck, captive Daughter Zion.” For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without silver.” 

Sometimes we sit in our sin, in our shame and filth. Why do we sit among the chains that Jesus already broke? We are to stand up and shake the dust off of ourselves and start living in the freedom He gives.

Psalm 49:7-8, 15, “Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God— since the price of redeeming him is too costly…. But God will redeem my life.”

Nothing we can do for ourselves can redeem or save us. All the good works in the world, no matter how many times you go to church or read your Bible – all of it means nothing if we don’t have faith in God and accept Jesus into our hearts.

Isaiah 35:10, “And the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with singing, crowned with unending joy.”

1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.”

Job 19:25, “But I know that my Redeemer lives.”

Christ offers a free gift of love to each of us… we just have to accept it. He paid the price that had to be paid. He gave Himself for us. And then He rose again and He’s alive today.

Let’s live in the freedom and love He offers!

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Happy Fourth of July week!

P.S.: Sorry I missed posting last week! I had some trouble with my computer. Also, I'm going to Global Youth Camp with my youth group next week so I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to post or not. Have a great week!