Daily Devotions
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Forty-seven-year-old Sara Gaspar of Granger, Indiana, is a caterer who works hard for her money.
Even so, she had to be surprised when Notre Dame University gave her a check for $28,387. It was a bit more than the $29.87 she had been expecting.
While many people might have thought the university was being incredibly generous, Sara took the more conservative route. Thinking a clerical or computer error had been made, Sara said she called the university to report the overpayment. Her call wasn’t returned.
Sara says she called again, and her call wasn’t returned again.
She called again, and her call . . . well, you get the idea.
Finally, figuring the university didn’t want or need the money, Sara went out and bought a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta.
It was about then that Notre Dame caught its mistake and asked Sara if she would please return their money.
Of course, by then Sara no longer had all of the money. To make a long story short, Notre Dame and Sara ended up in court. The university and the caterer eventually agreed Sara would pay back $50 a month — $50 a month for the next 28 years.
Sara will be 75 when her payments stop.
Now that may be the law, and justice may have been served, but it still seems like quite a penalty for Sara to have to pay.
Of course, Sara’s fine is nothing compared to that of our Savior.
Consider these points:
· Jesus did nothing wrong, yet He carried the sins of all humankind.
· He committed no sin, yet He was declared guilty so we might be forgiven.
· He was (and is) the eternal Son of God, yet He died on the cross so we might live forever.
Was it unfair? It was the most unfair event in the unfair history of this unfair world. Still, Jesus suffered all this so we might be forgiven and reconciled to our Heavenly Father.
It’s as He said: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for showing a love I cannot begin to understand or properly acknowledge, I offer my thanks. You were found guilty so I might be declared innocent of all wrongdoing. For this I shall be eternally grateful. In Your Name. Amen.