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There Is No Expiration Date |
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4/10/2011 - by Chuck Monan, Preaching Minister
Time is
Too slow for those who wait,
Too swift for those who fear,
Too long for those who grieve,
Too short for those who rejoice;
But for those who love,
Time is eternity.
~ Henry Van Dyke
Expiration dates are woven into the very fabric of our culture. These dates are affixed to labels adorning everything from food to insurance premiums to magazine subscriptions. Because of the indelible impression of common experiences like drinking milk that has seen better days, we usually pay close attention to these dates. And we assume that most things in life have them.
Rod and Kim Gottfredsen of Beloit, Wisconsin found that expiration dates are not necessarily relevant to some transactions. In 1977, the honeymooning couple stopped in St. Louis and purchased two $1 tickets for a trip to the top of the Gateway Arch. When she saw the claustrophobia-inducing size of the tram compartment, Mrs. Gottfredsen backed out. Not wanting to leave his wife alone, Gottfredsen asked for a $2 refund. Ticket agents wouldn’t refund the money, but promised the couple the tickets were “good forever.” When they returned to Wisconsin, the Gottfredsens put the tickets in a music box on their dresser. Twenty-two years later the Gottfredsens were given a second chance to ride to the top of the arch when they went to visit their son in St. Louis over Thanksgiving. They learned two things: first, the tickets were still valid. Second, Mrs. Gottfredsen still didn’t like the looks of the tiny tram. Deciding that the little compartment still looked menacing, she again refused to ride to the top. Buying another ticket, which now sold for $6, her husband made the trip accompanied by his son and daughter.
Ephesians 1:13-14 promises, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” Our salvation in Christ Jesus is not subject to the whims and caprices of the world, but is guaranteed through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Like the ticket to the Arch, this seal will take us to the pinnacle. And like the ticket, it will not ever be made null and void because of an expiration date. Time will meld into eternity.
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