When I was 18 I won the lottery, I don't need any measly $1.3 billion

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In the news recently was a lottery with a bounty of $1.3 billion to the winner(s).  That got me to thinking about what I possess:

 When I was 18 years old, I won the lottery.  To this day I consider myself one of the luckiest, most blessed men in the entire world.  I grew up in a broken home with alcoholic and divorced parents. We had very little materially.  I remember eating mostly cereal one year when I was in elementary school.  My longing as a kid was to have a better life as an adult and to raise good kids in a healthy environment. 

Everything changed right when I turned 18.  I never bought a “ticket” to win this lottery but I did get adopted by someone with enormous resources.   I became an heir of the richest person in the world.  In fact, He is the richest person in the universe.   He ultimately owns all things.  My friends think they “own” their homes or their cars or real estate.  Nope, He does.  But he also possesses things that are far more valuable than cash:  “You make known to me the path of life;  in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  If you asked me would I trade “pleasures forevermore” for $1.3 billion, I would emphatically say “NO.”  Why would I give up an eternity of pleasures for (based on my current age) twenty or thirty years of having a lot of money?  

Of course I am talking about my King, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He adopted me when I was 18.  He plucked me out of my sin and shame.  He chose me to follow Him just like he did with his twelve disciples.  He is today preparing a place for me and has promised to come again and take me to be where He is.  I couldn’t “see” Him when I was 18 and I can’t “see” Him today physically but He is as real as anybody I know.  He has promised that one day I will see Him and be able to be with Him and enjoy His physical presence.  

One day this King who is my new adopted Dad is going to return and rule over this earth.  The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea.  Joy will know no bounds.  The government will rest on HIS shoulders.  Righteousness and justice will be true and plentiful.

If you’re dreaming of what it would be like to win your share (after taxes, ha ha) of $1.3 billion, why not dream a little bigger and think about what it might be like to be adopted by the King of the universe….and be His child forever.  That makes being a billionaire look like a kid holding on to his piggy bank. 

When I was 18 at 3:30 in the afternoon at one of the lunch tables in the middle of my high school campus I prayed this prayer:  “Yes, Lord Jesus, I accept your invitation to become a child of God….thank you for forgiving my sins when you died on the cross.  Thank you that you love me and care so much for me.  I receive you as my Lord and master and leader.  Make me the man you want me to be.  Amen.”  

It’s never been the same since that day.  Crazy thing is that YOU too can be a "lottery" winner today too.  It's amazing grace.  What my King offers is available for everyone if they will simply ask.  If I came to you today and handed you a lottery ticket and said, "I know for sure this is the winning ticket, it's yours," I'm pretty sure you would take it.  So, what are you going to do with this invitation?  

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