God never made a boat, He made a tree. Man made boats and chairs and houses. We even made a cross.

There is a fullness to God and His creation that man just can’t mimic. Everything that man does simply takes the fullness of creation and tears it down somewhat to fashion it into something else.

I’m not saying that making a tree into shelter is bad. We need certain things because of situations and problems to solve. God provides us with the building blocks: the wood, the metal for nails, and especially the brains to be able to create.

The Bible says we were made for good works. To enable such works, God give us His creation, but then He gives us problems to solve. He gives us choices to use our free will on. Just like previously stated, God doesn’t make a boat for us, He gives us a tree. Then, God gives us an ocean to cross.

Our biggest problem though is sin. Three little letters sentence us to a literal eternity in hell. Why did God give us that choice? Because of love.

God wants His creation to love Him freely. If there was no choice, that wouldn’t be love. Love is free, not forced. Love is a gift, and a gift that is forced is no gift at all.

So God in His love and wisdom made those trees. In our anger, we made a few of those trees into crosses. Wicked torture devices. Little did we know that God would Himself be nailed to one of those crosses.

Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and led a sinless life. However, He allowed Himself to suffer and die on the cross to take the punishment that you and I deserve for our sins. He was then buried, but was raised from the dead to show us that He was able to conquer death itself for us.

Through that finished work, God allows us to be free of our sins. All of our bad choices were hung on that cross with Jesus Christ. All of us who were captives of our own wicked ways are allowed freedom from the chains of sin.

Because of that, we do not need to fear death. We are given the opportunity to be with Jesus in Heaven forever. All of eternity in a paradise beyond anything we could hope or imagine.

In dying, Jesus destroyed our death. In rising, Jesus restored our life.

Jesus Christ and His blood on the cross stands before us just like a tree. If we have a mighty ocean to cross, we would have to choose to make that tree into a boat. Our other choice would be to try to swim that ocean ourselves, and with disastrous consequences.

So here is the cross of Christ. Our problem is sin. Do we try to swim that ocean ourselves and be completely perfect forever to enter into Heaven? You can try, but you’ve already failed too many times. That’s your choice though. Try perfection on your own and still be shackled by your sins. Or you can chose Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

That’s the choice of our lives. Drown in our sins or be raised to new life, eternal in Heaven? Our imperfect works or God’s perfection?

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19

God’s blessings to you.

DH