For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God .... 1 Peter 3:18a

To the best of my knowledge there is only one pair of shoes in the world insured for $1 million.

Those shoes are the "ruby red slippers" worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. In the spirit of the movie's theme, "There's no place like home," Garland gave one of the movie's four pairs of shoes to the Judy Garland Museum in her home town of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Unfortunately, in August 2005 those shoes were stolen from the museum by someone who smashed the protective glass case with a baseball bat.

Recently, an anonymous fan of Judy Garland and the movie has come forward and is offering $1 million to anyone who comes out and gives the exact location of those hand-made slippers.

That's amazing!

It's amazing anyone would pay that kind of money for a few bits of leather, cloth, and hand-sewn sequins. Still, I guess that's what a person is willing to do to recover something that is very special to them.

I know that's what the Lord did.

You see, in His divine desire, the Lord once created a universe and made humanity to have dominion over the perfect home God had brought into being. Things should have stayed just the way the Lord had envisioned, but they didn't.

Using suggestions to sin rather than a baseball bat, Satan stole God's creation.

In the whole scheme of things humanity wasn't worth that much. They were made out of the dirt of the ground, and after they die they return to the same elements from which they had been constructed.

Still, these souls were precious to the Lord, and He decided to do that which was necessary to bring them back home. To that end He sent His Son into the world.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem to offer His life as the price which would buy back that which had been taken. To rescue and reclaim humanity, Jesus lived His life perfectly and fulfilled every law and prophecy. So that we might be reunited with our true Owner -- the Creator -- Jesus resisted every temptation and allowed Himself to be murdered on the cross of Calvary. His third-day resurrection from the dead says that His work is real and legitimate.

That true story is amazing!

It is amazing the Lord would have that kind of love, that kind of grace and care toward us, that He would do all of this. Still, that is what a Person does when He loves somebody very much.

Now I can't tell you if those ruby red slippers will end up at home. I do know that all who believe on Jesus as their Savior are rescued, forgiven, and will be going home with their Creator.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for sending Your precious Son to rescue worthless us, we give thanks. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 99-100,102    Acts 17:16-34

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