Exclusive: Noun; an item or publication by only one source.
Adjective; excluding or not admitting other things.
Thinking
about the word “Exclusive” reminds me of times when I was kid, seeing on cereal
boxes, exclusive items you could get by eating something outrageous like 10
boxes of cereal. Then you send in the proof of purchase along with shipping and
handling and you can get that exclusive item. Other times the exclusivity was
specific to a gaming system. Nintendo had Mario, Sega had Sonic, Playstation and
Xbox have had their share of exclusive titles as well that drew you in to their
brand. The made it exclusive so you’d seek after it. Shoes are another example.
Nike, Adidas, and Converse have all had exclusive shoes that only their brand
had. Even designer shoes have their celebrity exclusive shoes. They all are unique,
and all have worth. Growing up I collected trading cards. Some cards had their
exclusive things they did. Now in modern times everyone is after the “One of
One” cards. Exclusive cards that usually are worth a small fortune. There was a
Lord of the Rings card, it was “The One Ring” from the movie. A holographic
card that only had one print. If you got that card you were an instant millionaire.
Some of
us might have been on a fancy date, in a fancy restaurant. Or perhaps you have seen
a movie where a couple go on a date to a nice restaurant and the waiter comes
out and offers their wine list. Maybe not in real life, but certainly in the
movies, the guy springs for the exclusive wine, the most expensive for the occasion.
It’s something that’s precious and revered as better than the rest right? A vintage
of wine that’s exquisite and kept for just a special occasion.
In Lacey
Sturm’s (Formerly of the band “Flyleaf”) song “Awaken Love”; a song that’s almost
a love letter to God has a beautiful chorus. It says “Would you take? Come and
break, multiply Open my eyes till we’re standing face to face Awaken love’s
exclusive wine”. Then the final chorus “Come and take come and break, multiply
open my eyes to the one flesh, drinking in, my only love’s exclusive wine”. Lacey paints a beautiful picture of the bread
and wine, specifically saying my only love (God), his exclusive wine. His sacrificial
lamb. His one and only son. Just as we see mimicked in movies and sales and marketing,
the value of the exclusivity of the most precious things, we have access to the
ultimate exclusive gift ever. All we’re asked is to believe in the Exclusive
One. The gift so unbelievably costly, its priceless.
We all
know the verse John 3:16. In Matthew 27:50-51 Jesus died and the curtain of the
temple was torn in two, Luke 24:5-6 Jesus is risen. The exclusive one, died and
risen. The bread and wine of everlasting life. Broken and given to us. It’s
something every Christian knows. But we often overlook the how exclusive heaven
was until Jesus died for us. John 3:13 says no one has ever gone into heave except
the one who came from heaven – The Son of Man. The only Son of God. If you’re a
parent and you’ve been separated from your kids, even for a short period of
time, you know it’s not easy. God loved us so much, he separated himself from
his only son. Sent him here, to suffer, be spit on, whipped, mocked, tortured,
and killed. He loves us so much he did that for us. So unworthy and ungrateful and
undeserving of such a gift. We were given grace and forgiveness and so much
more. We were given Jesus.
Parents
are very protective of their kids. Mothers and Fathers alike will defend
theirs. They’ll love and protect them with everything in them. I’ve seen the “momma
bear” come out in some of the moms I’ve known and it’s a real thing. You don’t mess
with a momma’s baby. But could you imagine giving up your one and only child
for everyone who’s hurt you, put you down, cussed you out, did you wrong, hurt
you, or otherwise was wrong to you? If someone asked you that you’d look at
them like you’re crazy right? Not God. Huhuhh. He gave his only Son. He gave us
grace. He gave us forgiveness. He gave us life. Forever. He gave us the exclusive
one. The most desirable thing you could ever seek. And it’s free. Already paid
for. our exclusive one. Thank you Lord!
