By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

John's vision quickly deteriorated. His local doctor referred him to an eye specialist who could perform a very expensive operation to help him. It was John's only hope.

After drawing all his savings, John made an appointment with the specialist. He was desperate and would give up all his money and possessions for a chance to keep his sight. After careful observation, the specialist came to the conclusion that the expensive operation had to be done urgently in order to save John’s sight. There was only one problem: The doctor's usual fee for the operation was six times more than all of John's savings.

"Well," John sighed disappointedly. "Then I'll have to make peace with the fact that I will lose my sight. I will never be able to pay that enormous amount of money.” The specialist looked at him and replied: "There is only one way to overcome this problem. You cannot pay the bill and I cannot work for such a paltry fee. I will therefore have to do the surgery for you for free.”

Come for a moment with me back in time. Can you hear the rustle of leaves where Adam and Eve tries to hide from God in the Garden of Eden? They were disobedient to God and in the process destroyed their intimate relationship with Him. Sin became a part of a sin-free world. The sacrifice to heal this crime was expensive. So expensive that neither Adam or Eve would survive it. Blood had to flow. A life had to be sacrificed.

Flash forward in time to the hill of Calvary. Do you see the Man hanging on the middle of the three crosses? Do you see the blood running down his cheek before He cries out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!" With these words He breaths out His last breath. A Man without sin took the world’s sins on his shoulders.

God, as the doctor, knew that we would never be able to pay the price to restore our relationship with Him. He therefore gave the greatest sacrifice imaginable. In John 3:16 we read about it: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” And in Romans 8:32 it is written: “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”

God gave his only Son as a sacrifice in the hope that we would seize the opportunity to build a relationship with Him. When last have you thanked God for Jesus?

Father God, thank you for the greatest sacrifice in history when you sent Jesus to the world. Help me to never forget the cost of this reconciliation process. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

MONTH THEME: Let’s live thankful. Are you thankful that God forgave you or that He helped you forgive someone that harmed you? Share your thoughts with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.