2005-11-10 - Last Vote

Matt 20:15-16 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?' ¹⁶ "Thus the last shall be first, and the first last." (NASB)

Yesterday was Election Day in New Jersey. We voted for a number of state and local offices and several proposals, including the addition of a Lieutenant Governor. I had planned to vote early in the morning before driving to work, but forgot and passed by the school where my district votes. It wasn't until I was half way to my office that I realized I had made a mistake. I managed to race back home after work and vote at 7:59pm - one minute before the polls closed.

The good news is my vote counted. And it counted every bit as much as the person who voted in the morning, or at noon.

Matthew records Jesus' parable describing workers who were hired in the morning complaining when they were paid only as much as another group of workers who were hired at the end of the day. The first group was paid at the rate that was agreed upon before they started to work. They argued that they should have been paid more since they worked longer and through the heat of the day. In the end, the contract had been met and all the workers went home with the same pay.

I'm glad that salvation works that way.

Some Christians are called to amazing works that span continents like Dr. Billy Graham and Billy Sunday. Other believers work in obscurity to support these and other ministries. And still others will suffer untold hardships and torture for the sake of the gospel of Christ Jesus. We are told that there will be places of honor for some. Teachers should expect a closer review at judgment (Jas 3:1). But everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be saved for all eternity - not one second more or less than anyone else.

There will be men and women who will have been saved out of every spectrum of life and in every terrible and glorious circumstance when all is said and done. The wonderful news is that the salvation given freely to each individual will be the same. It will be equally undeserved. It will be equally humbling. But we will all sit as children of God at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him, and be equally awed and loved.

Get your vote in now.

2 Cor 6:2 for He says, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you"; behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation" (NASB)

Grace & Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org