Your Receipt

 

My grandson, Bennett, loves Hot Wheels.  When I pick up Bennett in my truck, he says, “Granddaddy, let’s go by Walmart to see if they have any new Hot Wheels cars.”  I pretend to grumble, but we go to Walmart and buy two or three cars.  His mom accuses me of spoiling him, but that’s what granddaddies are for.  About two years ago, we were checking out at Walmart.  Bennett had gotten a few cars and I had gotten some other items as well.  Bennett sent his cars through first, and already had his cars out of the packaging, had thrown the blister-packs away, and had his cars in his pocket.  I asked him, “Where is your receipt?”  Bennett looked surprised and shrugged.  I went on, “If an employee sees you stuffing cars into your pocket, can you prove that you didn’t steal them?”  Then Bennett looked shocked.  I handed Bennett our receipt and said, “Here is your receipt.  Keep it in your pocket with your cars until we are out of the store."  He gladly took the receipt.  A few weeks later, I took Bennett and my other grandson, Greyson to Walmart for … you guessed it, Hot Wheels.  Greyson’s not into Hot Wheels like Bennett, so he got a small Lego box.  And on the way out of the store Bennett was showing Greyson the receipt and explaining to his younger cousin why he needed to keep the receipt.  Hey, as Christians, we have a receipt too.  We have proof that our eternal salvation was purchased.  And like the boys, my salvation was purchased by someone else, none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!  Hey, I have proof of that salvation!  I have the seal of the Holy Spirit.  The old apostle John wrote in I John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”  The Lord has given us the Holy Spirit as proof of our salvation in Christ.  The Holy Spirit is our seal - our receipt.  But I don’t have to keep this receipt; this receipt is keeping me!  Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit and for my proof of salvation!  Hey, have you been born into God’s forever family?  Are you sure?  Do you have your receipt?