When Air Was Free
Many people are amazed when I tell them about the freedom I had growing up in a small Southern Illinois town. Mom and Dad gave me a new bicycle for my 10th birthday and the only limit put on me was that I had to be home before the street lights came on.
One day, while riding near the local Texaco station, the owner of the station cried out to me, “ Hey Boy, Those tires are getting pretty low. Come over here and I’ll air them up for you.”
This station had one of those boxes that hung on the outside of the building with a dial on it. The owner set the dial on 32 lbs. and with a puff of air and a couple rings of the little bell inside the machine, my tires were back to normal. I was amazed at what a difference a bit of air made in the ride.
I thanked the man, and asked if I was permitted to do that my self when I saw the tires getting low. His answer was, “Sure, son, We leave it turned on all night. It’s always here for anyone to use and air is still free.”
A lot has changed since that day in 1953. None any greater than this: Air is no longer free. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Air pumps still stand near where you buy gasoline, but the air they supply isn’t free.
I miss the days when customers were told: “We leave it turned on all night, it is always here for anyone to use, and air is still free.”
I have good news for you. While the world around us is constantly changing, while even things like air are no longer free, the message of the Christian Gospel has not changed, it is still a message of FREE GRACE. Jesus died on the cross to remove our sins. He paid a price to set us free, but there is no fee attached that we must pay. Salvation is free.
The arms of our Savior are still open wide. He is still available day and night, and the Grace of God is still free.
To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the thirsty be led;
In the cross and its victory our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, "Salvation is free!"
www.freegracetracts.com