The essence of the gospel is this: you were designed by God to be connected to The Source (himself). But each of us have made choices that are contrary to our design; these choices are called sin. Sin has broken the design God planned for us and put us all on another path that is lacking in fulfillment. In other words, sin has made you thirsty.
Worse still, there is a cost for living outside if our original design. When a created object is used for something other than it’s original design, there is great risk of damage. Take a screw driver, for instance. If used as a hammer, the tool can be damaged. Striking a nail with the handle of the screwdriver will chip and eventually break the handle. The broken pieces of the handle can fly loose and harm others. Eventually the tool is no longer useful in any way and it is cast aside and discarded.
This is the price of sin: our out-of-design actions harm ourselves, harm others and harm God. Eventually, the price of sin is eternal. Without repair and restoration, you are cast out for eternity. Somehow you intrinsically know this to be true. This inner knowledge creates an inner thirst. This thirst is a desire to be restored, a desire to be what you were created to be, rather than what misuse (sin) has made you. It’s is a desire to know that you’ll never be cast out. It is a desire to be whole again.
Our designer, God, is heartbroken by our misuse. He is disturbed by our out-of-design behaviors. He is saddened that our choices have destined us to be cast out.
But God also loved us all enough to provide a way for us to be restored to our original design. He provided a way to replenish us and satisfy our thirst. He sent His only Son, Jesus.
Jesus said, “If you only knew the free gift of God and who it is that is asking you for water, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10 NCV)
Rather than your eventual destiny being the trash pile, Jesus freely bore your punishment. He took the pain of your out-of-design actions. He paid the penalty of your sin by dying on a cross, so you can be made whole.
Ironically, Jesus is the only one who always acted according to God’s design. He did nothing to harm himself, others or God, but he was cast out for those who have harmed themselves, others and God. Jesus was cast aside in your place, but he did not remain there. Even though he was broken and damaged, he rose again. He was fully restored, and his restoration paved the way for yours!
Scripture says that “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Cor 5:21 NLT). Jesus death, burial and resurrection make it possible for you to be made whole again. His sacrifice is the pathway to satisfying your inner thirst: your desire to become what God intended.
You have been living the out-of-design life. You have been thirsty. Now is the moment to accept Jesus’ free gift so you can be made whole and so your inner thirst can finally be quenched.
You know that you need this, so don’t wait. Choose to follow Him today.
Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.”
~John 6:35-38 (MSG)