Unchanging

 All of you for all of Him. A life for a life. That’s the boilerplate contract, and it will not allow for addendums, additions, subtractions, or carve-outs. For me to insinuate otherwise would be akin to trying to sell you a canoe with a hole in the bottom, insisting that it’s just for viewing the fish. It’s like a porthole on a submarine, only without the window. No, you can’t take it out for a spin on the lake before you pay in full because I’m afraid you’re too inexperienced at rowing and may sink it. Money first, fun later, no returns or refunds.

The time it takes varies, but anyone who’s bought into the lie that you can carve out a tiny sliver of your heart for Jesus and keep the rest for the world has come to the realization that they’ve been sold a bill of goods, and the peace, joy, and fulfillment they were promised for the low, low price of $49.99 per month never materialized. When they go back to the guy or gal with the used car salesman vibe and ask for an explanation, they are summarily told it’s their fault. They didn’t know how to row their boat. The hole in the bottom had nothing to do with it.

That’s the thing that grates the most. For the most part, those seeking Jesus were sincere in their quest. They believed the slavering wolves hiding behind professionally whitened smiles when they insisted that the whole sanctification thing was something old fuddy-duddies talked about before the use of props like Nerf guns and motorcycles during service.

They didn’t have a multi-media presentation, so they had to drone on about holiness unto the Lord and something about all who desired to live godly in Christ Jesus having to suffer persecution. How did preachers fill the time without Hillsong’s music catalog? How did they put sermons together before Chat GPT? Surely they didn’t study to show themselves approved. That would’ve eaten too much into their personal time and taken away from practicing their backswing.

How dare we try to give Him anything less than our all when even at a one-for-one deal, you’re getting an unimaginable, invaluable trade? Even if I were to compare trading in a Yugo for a Ferrari and getting a truckload of cash on top doesn’t come close to the tradeoff you and I got exchanging our broken, darkened selves for His light and life.

Some offers you just can’t improve upon. You can’t get any freer than free, with eternal life thrown in and a reward that He will bring upon His return for anyone who has left anything for His name’s sake.

Even so, oftentimes, we act as though we’re the ones getting the short end of the stick. We act as though we are the prince, and He is the peasant girl we pulled from the dirt, cleaned up, brought into our home, and gave our name to.

I’m fully aware that modernity has taught an entire generation of delusional holders of women’s studies degrees and no job prospects that they are the prize, and any man should feel honored to have them be present. Their presence ought to be the extent of a man’s expectations, for if they are asked to do anything other than scroll social media hoping someone complements them, they’re being misused and abused.

Tragically the church has adopted the selfsame mindset, and we are seeing the effects of it in the faithlessness and duplicity it has bloomed in the hearts of many. If you don’t give me everything I’ve ever wanted without asking for anything in return, I’ll just find another.

If I can’t retain a majority of my heart and keep anything I desire therein, give You a space, perhaps in the attic or the basement, then I call legalism, and that’s not the kind of relationship I’m looking for.

Jesus died, not because He was keen on doing it or because He wanted to experience what death by crucifixion felt like for a man. Jesus died because it was the only way to give you and me life. He died because it was the only means by which we could be reconciled to the Father.

That we would quibble over what we’re willing to give Him in return isn’t just foolish, it’s a slap in the face of grace and the salvific power of His blood.

Throughout the history of mankind, Jesus was one of one. There will never be another like Him. It’s not as though you can wait at the bus stop for another ride or for another deity to come and save your soul.

It’s either Him or nothing. He is the only one that can save, restore, and reconcile. He is the only one whose sacrifice can tip the scales and redeem you from darkness and death. Would that I had ten hearts to give and a thousand lifetimes to sit at His feet, it would not be enough to scratch the surface of repaying Him for what He did on the cross.

If my heart is true and I acknowledge the magnitude of what He did for me, I won’t go around looking for the shortcuts or wondering how I can do less for Him, but every day I’m on this earth, my heart’s cry should be what more can I do?

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.