Jesus — he's the ticket

The ticket lay in front of me on the kitchen table — two hundred and forty million dollars. A winner was announced and I was that winner. Two Hundred and forty million dollars gave me a sense of euphoria which was uncontainable. My husband and I sat stunned, looking at the winning ticket. What now?

First of all we will pay off all our bills, then we will buy a home, then we will get furniture for the home. Will we retire? Will we keep working? Oh so much excitement and so many life changing decisions to make. Then… I felt a lick in my face and my little Yorkie Poo woke me up. It was all a dream. I had not won the Powerball, and in fact had not even bought a ticket.

The harsh reality that I had not won a dime yet had experienced the euphoria of winning enough money to give me a life of peace and contentment left me nauseous and sitting straight up in bed wanting to cry. Forcing myself out of my stupor, I suppressed my desire to sob like a baby. I got out of bed and took the dog outside. The fresh air outside cleared my depressed mind and my heart skipped a beat. Imagine over two hundred and fifty million people clamoring to win the money, literally getting into debt at their futile attempts.

Over two thousand years ago, God sent His Son Jesus to live as a man and die so that you and I can inherit eternal life if we just believe that He is our Redeemer. What bigger winning ticket could we receive? Wow! Even while on earth we can experience life to it’s fullest because Jesus came.

Suddenly, my heavy heart was replaced with an inner joy. I am a winner of one of the biggest gifts ever known to man. And I want everyone to enjoy the same winning ticket with me.

John 10:10 says “…I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.” All we need to do is to believe in our Redeemer and live life with purpose and Hope.

Wishing you and your family that life of abundance this Christmas.

Pastor Sharon Hurkens, Church of the Nazarene