One of the programmes I’ve enjoyed listening to is CHRB 1140’s Tradio. It’s enjoyable listening to all the different people with their items up for sale or give away, and how Charlie just keeps things moving along with a sense of purpose and community. Most articles, even tho’ used and maybe old, end up being traded or sold into another location with a new purpose for their owner.
The biggest Tradio programme is the one being directed right from heaven.
“For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 NLT)
You see, God traded his life for mine. My life with all of its faults including anger and resentment, worries, broken promises, mistakes and uncertainties was traded for his unconditional love, compassion, faithfulness, freedom and joy. When I gave him my life, just like the items on Tradio, I found my life in a different space with a new purpose – in Him. I found out what love REALLY is, not just warm fuzzy feelings of emotion or because someone said it.
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.” (1 John 3:16a NLT)
Now that’s a real trade.
In this piece below we see these two things: both the trade and the purpose.
“…while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” (Titus 2:13,14 NLT)
The trade was Jesus giving his life, in dying for each one of us, to free us from the wrongdoings (sin) that keep us from him. The purpose is twofold: looking forward to that ‘wonderful day’ when his glory will be revealed, but in the meantime, we are totally committed to doing good deeds as He shows us in our everyday life as we live each day for him.
In order for this to happen, though, it takes a decision. Just as it takes a decision to sell an item and advertise it and carry through with the sale; it takes a decision to tell God I’m trading my life for His, and He now owns it to do with me as He promised – a new life and His Spirit to help me live each new day with and for Him.
Below is a piece from God’s own word what it is like before and after when you trade your life for His:
“The Way You Should Live
In the Lord’s name, I tell you this. Do not continue living like those who do not believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing. They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives. They have lost all feeling of shame, and they use their lives for doing evil. They continually want to do all kinds of evil. But what you learned in Christ was not like this. I know that you heard about him, and you are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God—made to be truly good and holy.
So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body. When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you. Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor.
When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. And do not make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God’s proof that you belong to him. God gave you the Spirit to show that God will make you free when the final day comes. Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:17-32 NCV)
Hard to do? Yes, but you don’t do it by yourself. You live each day in His strength, which we choose to do day by day. He’s always there, ready to walk and run beside you, being your strength, being your peace and being your future. But before you can walk that way day by day, there’s that initial decision, just like on tradio, that starts you down this best path for life – the way it was created to be – for you.
“…so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:15-17 NLT)
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:17,18a NLT)
Readers are invited to write Gloria at gloriawes@hotmail.com.