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Twice as Expensive

Do you know why those stamps at fairs and parks are important? I'm talking about the ones that they put on your hand when you want to return on that same day. Obviously, we want to get back in. As a first-rate thrifty dad, I do not want to have to pay again to get in a theme park that I have already paid to get in to.

But what if? What if my family had been paid for and then exited the park for some reason? Most likely it would be to eat at our vehicle. As I said, I'm thrifty. And let us suppose that one of my children had somehow slipped out without having their hand stamped. It would be like them to squirm away and refuse. And because I was hungry for lunch, I did not notice.

As we head to go back in to the park, we might all be granted access except for this one wayward child who decided the stamp was not that important. And as long as we're supposing, let's say we got that one Type-A worker at the gate who refused to believe that I had already paid for my kid to get in the park earlier that day. Let's assume that there would be no logic that would convince this worker to let my kid back in with me. No stamp, no admittance.

I know what I would do. I would pay for my child to get back in, if for no other reason, than for them to be reunited with their family who loves them. (They might not get any ice cream from me later, but that's a different point entirely...)

This is what God has done for us. In Revelation 5, we're told that Jesus bought us back. It's actually quite beautiful.
"Paying in blood, you bought men and women,
Bought them back from all over the earth,
Bought them back for God."

We've been a tad expensive for Christ, and that's understating it. But just like my proverbial child who will not be allowed to forget what I did for her, we should never be allowed to forget what God has done for us. So don't lose that stamp. You've been bought back!
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