Priceless

$75 million. That’s what the Denver Post reported that the leading presidential candidates would be working to raise and spend before the national conventions next summer.  The announcements of the candidates were timed to optimally facilitate the cultivation of these funds.  If one candidate gets too much of a head start, he or she can gain financial momentum that would be nearly impossible to overcome.

$75 million is a tremendous amount of money. This is especially true when you realize that this is not to actually become the President of the United States, but simply to prove to the public that you are an appropriate candidate for your party. It’s believed that these dollars are required to prove personal credibility, political viability, and public electability. It’s an enormous price tag to prove that a candidate is qualified.

Being qualified is no small matter. God certainly understood this.  That’s precisely why He inspired the apostle Paul to write in Colossians 1:11,12…

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father of share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (ESV)

God knew that our future was doomed. He knew that our resume, that our experience, that our education would never measure up… and so He personally stamped “Qualified” across our request at incredible expense. In fact, at an expense that makes campaign fund raising look like child’s play.

In this promise God declares that this action belongs to Him alone. The demands of legalistically pursuing qualification are both unnecessary and impossible. We will never and could never.

We’re qualified. Period. So our behavior, our obedience, our lives are no longer lived on the campaign trail. We’re no longer kissing babies for the photo opportunity, we’re not shaking hands for the sake wooing, we’re no longer giving speeches to manipulate, and we’re not working to convince… we’re qualified.

Consequently, we obey out of love. Our actions are a reflection of who we are, not what we’re trying to prove. Our motivation is liberated to reflect the transformation of unconditional love.

$75 million just to prove we’re qualified… and it’s not close to enough. But we know what is and that propels us to love and live in holiness and obedience… not to prove we’re qualified, but to demonstrate that we are, by God’s grace.

Glory!