Ye Old Pawn Shop

In the pawn shop of mortality, my soul lay naked and exposed underneath death’s dingy glass counter (2 Cor 5:3). The old tradesman must have considered this soul of only trivial worth, for not even a price tag was placed next to my item description “whoever”; I was a ragged “for display only” item, not really for sale, perhaps useful only for kindling a fire. But the Lord saw my hopeless condition and offered a price. The shadowed shopkeeper laughed and suggested a better purchase among the angelic models, something that would ring the bells of eternity’s cash register, but my Lord said, “No, I want that one.” Death’s eyes narrowed as he bit down on the match in his mouth. “Life for life; death for death,” he replied. But the Lord wept tears of joy as He opened heaven’s wallet and poured out blood of the Lamb slain from the earth’s beginning and saved for this very day. “A bride’s price?” exclaimed Death with stinging tones. “I accept.” Then the Lord turned to walk away. “Where are you going?” Death asked. “I am going away for a little while to prepare a place for my purchase, but I will return. Until then, here is a deposit that guarantees this layaway pickup.” And the Lord breathed into my soul the breath of new life; the Holy Spirit took residence and filled my heart (2 Cor 5:5). “Wait a minute! I’ve been cheated!” Death screamed. “This one is priceless now!” And the Lord smiled, knowing that Death could no longer keep me.