The lesson is simple but profound. You cannot have Christ truly, if you are not willing to let go of everything else you might value in order to gain Him? What is so valuable that time with Him is so cheaply sold by us? What of sin is so valuable that it is worth hanging on to rather than to Him? Pride? Social standing? Peer opinion? Drunkenness? Sex? Partying?

And it is in contemplating this that we come face to face with something truly astounding. In truth, what do we broken, defiled and convicted sinners have of any real value that to seel it might procure the riches of Christ? Nothing. And to add insult to injury, who would purchase our miserable trifles? No one. Except, this is where the miracle of God’s grace comes into full view.

He bids us come and He will buy our brokenness and give us wholeness in exchange. We sell Him our sin and He gives us holiness. Our we turn in our pride that we might possess the fruit of divine humility. Our lies for His truth. Our death for His life. Our defilements for His purity. We give up our degradation for His affirmation. Our blindness for sight, deafness for hearing, lameness for the ability to walk with Him.

We bring Him all we have, broken, defiled, corrupt and less than worthless, and He gives us the very Treasure of Heaven in return.

George MacDonald:

Lord, in thy spirit’s hurricane, I pray,     

Strip my soul naked—dress it then thy way.  

Change for me all my rags to cloth of gold.     

Who would not poverty for riches yield?     

A hovel sell to buy a treasure-field?     

Who would a mess of porridge careful hold     

Against the universe’s birthright old?