I couldn’t entitle this week’s blog post anything else. After all, today is the culmination of the summer giveaway. Since June 1st, twenty-four of you have left over seventy comments on the blog. Another seven subscribers have sent comments directly to my email, but since that wasn’t part of the perimeters for the giveaway, they weren’t included in the drawing. I just thought you’d like to know that little tidbit. That means roughly one-third of subscribers participated.

Each entry then has a 1.43% chance based on actual participation. (If based on all subscribers, that was a .33% chance.) A couple of you left as many as five comments thus increasing your odds to around 7%.

A good chance compared to a lottery, but still not guaranteed.

Winning is not an unfamiliar idea, biblically speaking. There are numerous verses about winning, victory, prizes, conquering, and so forth. Death is conquered and life wins. The curse is subjugated and victorious order is restored. Evil is defeated and goodness reigns forever. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:57, NIV “They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14, NIV

The odds of victory in Jesus Christ? 100%.

Since we can read the end of the story, even if we might not understand all the prophetic details, we know that as lovers of God and followers of Christ and disciples of the Holy Spirit that we have chosen the winning side. God pronounced eventual victory in the Garden “He will bruise your head and you will bruise his heel”, Jesus reiterated its contractual completion on the cross when He stated Tetelestai or “it is finished” meaning the price for winning the war on death and sin was paid in full. Today’s picture symbolizes that victory over sin.

In other words, Christians can’t lose eternity. It’s a done deal.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54, NIV

Thank God for the assurances of salvation and eternity. He has won!

Now, drumroll please. Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum... When I asked my computer to choose a random number comment, it chose 42. That comment belongs to Myrtle Slusher. Myrtle, you have won a complete set of The Talbott Family mysteries in paperback and an Amazon gift card for $25. Congratulations!

Going forward, I will give a prize or set of prizes to one commenter per month, so keep interacting please!