Recently, a young man named Daniel was diving in the frigid waters of the Bay of Fundy, off the east coast of Canada. He was hunting sea urchins, which are very valuable and sell for a good price. He had a nice number collected and safely stacked away in his fishing bag when he felt a heavy thump on his side. He turned to find himself face to face with a 10foot shark that was very interested in what was in his fishing bag!
Maybe you would not consider sea urchins a valuable treasure like Daniel did. But perhaps you have paid a high price for something else that you consider a valuable treasure. The Bible tells us in Matthew 13:4444Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44) about a man who was willing to sell everything he owned to buy a field where he had found hidden treasure. Yes, valuable treasure is usually expensive, and Daniel’s sea urchin treasure nearly cost him his life. But the most valuable treasure a person can own did cost a life. Because God loves you so much, He is offering you His wonderful and expensive treasure. It has already been paid for, and He offers it to you as a gift, one that no one can take away from you and that you will never have to give up. Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) tells us, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God’s Son, Christ Jesus, willingly gave up His life to pay for your sins so eternal life in heaven can be offered to you as a gift.
I’m sure Daniel knew his life was in great danger, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He was unable to let go of the fishing bag because his fingers were locked in it. The shark got a good hold on the bag with its jaws and started swimming out to sea, dragging Daniel along with it. For fifteen panic-filled minutes, he struggled below the surface of the ocean with the angry shark. Daniel began shaking the fishing bag, and the shark opened its jaws momentarily, which released the bag.
I’m sure Daniel considered his life more valuable than that fishing bag with its contents and would have gladly let it go. It wasn’t his choice to keep hanging on. But those who accept God’s gift are, by His choice, forever in His care. God’s beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, paid for that gift of eternal life with His life, and if you accept it, He will never let you go. He says, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)).
Daniel’s battle wasn’t over yet. As the shark circled back for another attack, Daniel flipped over onto his back and swam backwards with his fishing bag towards shore. The shark wasn’t ready to give up that treasure so easily and kept hovering around Daniel, darting back and forth at him. But Daniel never stopped swimming, and finally he did reach the shore where he was safely picked up by the captain of his boat.
Have you accepted God’s greatest treasure - the gift of eternal life that Christ Jesus lovingly offers you? You cannot pay for it nor earn it; you can only gratefully and thankfully accept it. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:89).
ML-05/20/2001