In a dream one night, I walked outside of my antique home to catch a glimpse of the morning sun rising.  After a few moments, I became aware of a strange silence.  I peered to the left and right, finding only empty wilderness.  No one else was around.  In fact, no one else existed.  It was just me -- my home, my fields, my planet.

At first, this realization was wonderful.  I could go and do whatever my heart desired, being accountable to no one.  It didn't matter whether I thought it right or wrong, I did what I wanted -- who would care?  But after a few years (minutes in dream-time, I suppose), I felt the despair of hopelessness and regret.  Was this all I had to look forward to?

Before I could finish the thought, I saw a silhouette appear in the distance.  Another human!  As the figure came closer, I saw a peaceful-looking, younger man.  He walked toward my home, and I wondered what he could want from me.

The man was carrying two large wooden beams, connected perpendicular in the middle.  He dragged the piece onto my property and set it upright.  I approached him cautiously.  "Hello, Sir.  Welcome to my home!"

He smiled softly and went back to his work.  After securing the cross, he pulled three large nails from his pocket.

"Excuse me, Mister," I said, "what are you doing?"

He turned toward me slowly.  "I've come here to save you, and to do so I must die."

"Die?  To save me?  Why would you do that, Sir?"

"Because I love you, and I want to rescue you from the condemnation you've earned here in your world."

I began to weep as the thoughts of my life's failures flooded to mind.  The man somehow placed himself up on the beams.  I pleaded with him, "Sir, please...you can't give yourself like that.  I'll pay for my own mistakes.  Don't waste yourself; there's no one else here, only me."

"Then, my child, I've come to save only you."

With that, he died -- just for me.

The Bible presents the message of the cross so simply, though.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

It's not that difficult to explain.  God hates sin so much, yet loves us so much more, that He allowed His Son -- a part of Himself -- to come to Earth as a human and suffer unimaginable physical and spiritual pain, so that we might gain forgiveness from sin and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  The Hebrews of the Old Testament had to sacrifice animals and grain to cover up their imperfections.  But Jesus paid for our sins, all of them, by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice, a "lamb without blemish."

Don't take for granted that Christ gives everyone the chance to be free of the binds of sin.  As the story above was meant to dramatize, what if only one person on the planet would have accepted Jesus' payment?  Would He have still allowed Himself to go through such torture, even if the only person it saved was you?  I believe that He would have been every bit as willing.  While the Lord came to Earth to save all people, He wants an individual, personal relationship with each of us.  Though we wouldn't be born for almost two thousand years later, He thought of you and He thought of me while the thorns pierced His head and while the rough wood scraped against the scars on His back.

Crazy, isn't it?  Do you feel worthy of such a commitment, of such an awesome sacrifice?  I sure don't.  And yet He offers this gift of salvation to us freely, the only stipulation being that we ask Him for it.  It's not a matter of "religion" -- doing and saying the right things -- but rather a matter of realization, that He is the only answer, the only way.

No, it doesn't seem like a fair trade.  Our sins in exchange for the Creator of the Universe hanging by nails, gasping for His last breaths?  Are we really worth that?

Apparently, God thought so.  It doesn't make any sense, but that's the price He paid for us.  Paul offers similar analysis in I Corinthians 1:18: "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

It may be a foolish offer, but wouldn't it be more foolish not to accept it?  You've messed up in your life.  I know you have, because I have, too.  We've made different mistakes, but I'm sure we've all made our share.  But Jesus' offer is still valid, and He is willing to wipe the slate clean right now.  If you have not yet made the commitment to Christ, He is listening.  All you have to do is confess to Him that you are sinful and unworthy, but that you want to accept the payment that He made on that wooden cross on Calvary.  Ask Him to enter your life, to enter your heart.  There's no need to delay; after all, He died -- just for you.