Why Not Free?

Time is the most precious resource for many of us, which we all receive equally every morning and spend equally throughout the day, only to gain it again the next morning.

We all live in the present, which immediately becomes the past, and ahead of us lies the future, beckoning us with its prospects of discoveries and changes. The enemy of the soul is busy offering us as many possible activities as he can, just to distract our attention from the main thing. And if we do come into contact with the main thing, the enemy tries to convince us that our time is too precious to spend on what gives Eternal life. But it should be the other way around.

Our age can rightly be called golden. Wealth has become so accessible and desirable that almost any of us can acquire what this world offers. The industry works to provide us with all the benefits, to provide us with them in abundance, to occupy all our time with advertisements and offers, to provide us with work, to convince us to throw away the unnecessary and old, to drive us into debt and deprive us of free time. And it turns out that I work to buy what the world offers me in order to throw it away afterwards and buy something better.

I notice that many convenient things break very quickly, and their repair costs more than buying new ones. I have to periodically update my property, working for this from morning to evening. And housing has become so expensive and inaccessible that, wanting to acquire it, one must enter into debt slavery for many decades and be afraid of losing work, otherwise you'll end up on the street. Big cities have become centers of leisure, high earnings, all kinds of abundance and promising opportunities to improve life and comfort.

I am offered warm, cozy housing with all services and communications. Means of communication and information transfer also never cease to amaze with their fantastic capabilities. I can spend a whole day on the couch, learning everything this world possesses, making great discoveries and observing what is happening on our planet. I am able to communicate with all friends and even become a famous blogger in certain circles.

All these opportunities are increasing daily, and you just need more time to have time to live for your pleasure. And my silver pays for everything.

Against the background of an abundance of worldly goods and prospects, a very strange message sounds. The King of the Universe advises to buy from Him what will bring me victory, what will bring us closer together, what will enrich me and make me decent, wise and pure. And I need to pay for all this. I stop in my "rat race", examine what is offered, marvel at the simplicity of trade relations, admire how beautiful it is, but, learning the price of the goods, I am horrified because I won't be able to survive in the world. Perhaps I pretend that I didn't hear the advice, justifying myself that I have other debt obligations to society, the employer and the bank. And life is given to me to have time to try everything and immerse myself in many pleasures and enjoyments.

But Heaven beckons me with its purity and simplicity. I weigh all the pros and cons and think: "Why isn't all this, offered by the Faithful Witness, free? Why has He suddenly valued so highly what has always been given for free?"

Air, water, sun, rain, warmth are available to me without payment. Salvation and sanctification are given to me for free. Healing and peace come naturally and for free. But here: "Buy from me..." Not just buy for a symbolic price, but give all the best that you have, and pay this price constantly while you live, otherwise the deal will not take place.

Jesus makes me understand that by acquiring heavenly goods, I must pay a high daily price for the right to possess them. I need to be in constant contact with Him so as not to lose anything. I must seek new buyers for His trading shop.

Heaven keeps strict account of all my acquisitions. It closely observes how I use the talents entrusted to me. Although I don't notice anything and have complete freedom to be the manager of God's resources, I still know that I will have to give an account for my actions.

The goods for Laodicea are very beautiful and tempting. But as soon as I think about the fact that I need to give my time to acquire them, which I could successfully spend on earning money, learning different sciences, on many useful and exciting things, I become completely uninterested in buying the offered goods. I already have a minimum of what Jesus advises to buy, and I've even been able to hold something in my hands, appreciating its quality. But, alas, it's very expensive.

In addition to giving my time, I also have to stop in my "squirrel wheel" and devote myself entirely to studying Laodicean goods in order to understand how to own and manage them. And I will also have to give up my favorite sins, which I carefully keep as protection from the humiliation and poverty of this world. And all this will have to be given up to acquire some gold? And the gold is sold to me so that I immediately spend it on my neighbors and even on enemies.

If all this were given for free, I might still think about it. Why not take it? Let it be, maybe it will come in handy? Although storing even free goods will cost me dearly. After all, I will have to take them, bring them at my own expense, occupy valuable space in my house with them, throwing out something necessary and useful, and then make sure that it doesn't go bad. And what if they don't come in handy? And I won't be able to throw them away. They will condemn and punish. After all, the Seller warns that He will punish everyone who is not zealous. No, it's better not to pay attention to the importance of this advice. Then there will be less responsibility. I'll do this. I'll write down the address of the store, memorize all the offered goods, put up signs, write notes in the margins of the Bible about what these symbols mean, and will continue to live peacefully, knowing the world and squeezing maximum enjoyment out of it. And the enemy of the soul doesn't attack, apparently afraid to touch me, because I'm God's.

Yes. Exactly! I'll come in old age, when I've already taken everything from the world and tried everything, and I'll surprise the Heavenly Merchant by the fact that, finally, I'm ready for trade relations. And He will give me the best from under the counter and will be very happy. And there will be great joy in Heaven about me, more than about 99 regular customers who don't need a special invitation. Many heavenly inhabitants will curry favor with me to become my friends, because I have finally become the owner of Heavenly goods.

From the anticipation of this future trade, it becomes so joyful in my soul. How good that I know where this oil for the lamp is sold. And I have enough means to acquire it. I am rich in Jesus, have become rich with His blessings, and have need of nothing. Much good is stored up for me for many years. I think the Lord will worthily appreciate my enterprise, because He gave me the strength to acquire wealth. How glad I am that I'm not like these regular customers, who are somewhat strange and behave somewhat unusually, not like everyone else.

Yes, I'll do that. I'll mark this matter for the future, for old age, so as not to forget. It might come in handy.

Questions for reflection on this chapter

1. Please read: Isa. 55:1-3; Matt. 13:44-46; 25:27; Rev. 3:18; Ps. 73:24; Job 15:8; 26:3; Prov. 12:15; 23:23; Eccl. 10:18; Heb. 3:15; 4:13; Luke 12:16-23,31; 14:16-24; Matt. 25:3-5,8-10; Job 33:13; Rom. 14:12; Prov. 1:22-33 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. What other examples from the Bible came to your mind?

4. Who is this lesson about?

5. Why did the Lord decide to sell what is offered in the Message to Laodicea?

6. Do you understand what payment the Faithful Witness expects for His goods from Rev. 3:18?

7. Are you ready to give your time in exchange for the Heavenly gold offered by Christ?

8. Is it important to have oil in your lamp in the last time? If so, why does this oil need to be bought? Matt. 25:9.

9. Would many people respond to Christ's call to take goods for Laodicea for free? How would such trade be valued then?

10. Do you believe that what is offered in the message to Laodicea (Rev. 3:18) has anything to do with your victory in the last confrontation with the forces of evil?

11. What will happen to me if I know the meaning of all the symbols of victory, but don't buy them in time?

12. Can it be that I came for purchases, but I have nothing to pay with?

13. Will there be any justification for my ignorance in the matter of preparation for the marriage feast of the Lamb?

14. Will God do anything on His part, seeing my desire to enter into eternal trade relations with Him? Luke 15:20.

15. Is Heaven now observing how I relate to the message and advice from the Message to Laodicea?