Couple Billed for Reneging on Wedding Invitation
Christine DiGangi writes:
Jessica Baker and her husband were planning on going and RSVP'd to a no-kids-allowed wedding a few weeks ago, but Baker's mom called the day of the event to say she couldn't watch the Bakers' daughter, so they had no choice but to stay home. Then earlier this week, Baker received a bill for $75.90 — $60 total for the herb-crusted walleye she and her husband requested in their RSVP, plus a $7.95 fee per person for tax and the service charge.
"This cost reflects the amount paid by bride and groom for meals that were RSVPed for, reimbursement and explanation for no show, card, call or text would be appreciated," the bill said.
What if God sent us a bill for every time we failed to follow through on a promise or a good intention? He has! James 5:12 says, “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation” (ESV).
Fortunately, howevr, Jesus took that bill and nailed it to the cross, declaring it paid in full!
"He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14, NLT).
Illustration Exchange
Don't Make Them Send Flowers
Evangelical Bible scholar Howard Hendricks reportedly once told his son Bob, "Be so dependable that if you say you will be somewhere and don't show up, they send flowers."
Don't make them send flowers! "But let your word 'yes be 'yes,' and your 'no be 'no'" (Matthew 5:37, HCSB).
Faith and Its Object
If I told you that I was going to give away ten thousand dollars in cash to everyone here this morning and instructed you to meet me in the Fellowship Hall after the service, what kind of thoughts would run through your mind? Likely, you'd wonder what I was really up to. You might also have grave doubts because if you know anything at all about me, you know that I could not possibly come up with that kind of money. If you bothered to show up in the Fellowship Hall after church, it would probably be out of curiosity and to see how I would manage to talk myself out of this one. Surely no one here would have any real expectation (and rightly so) of receiving ten thousand dollars from my hand to yours.
However, what if Bill Gates showed up at our humble church service and made the same kind of promise? What kinds of thoughts might go through your mind upon hearing his promise? No doubt, many of you here would not even wait for the service to end before rushing off to the Fellowship Hall and forming a line. You'd be filled with expectation and anticipation. Why? You may not be able to guess at his motives, but you would have no doubt that Bill Gates has the ability to make good on his promise.
Great faith owes its existence and substance to the ability and integrity of its object. A survey of Bible history, both Old and New Testaments, demonstrates that God's word is true and he has the power to do what he says he will do. So, keep your spiritual eyes upon God and his provision in Christ and he will see to it that your faith is as strong as his unfailing word.
"So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us" (Hebrews 6:18, NLT).