Non-Negotiable God

We like to barter, wheel and deal
And find it rather nice
When with our ingenuity
We fetch a better price

We haggle or we might complain
If need be, raise our voice
Immune it would appear to shame
We with our deal rejoice

And so it is upon the earth
When people strike a deal
They love those things that they acquire
And how it makes them feel

Our God has got an offer too
To remedy the fall
The terms are all unchangeable
And it’s one size fits all

The offer goes something like this
Surrender all you’ve got
Receive your righteousness from Christ
Become what you are not

By faith you trade your life for His
While Jesus pays the bill
Your sins so many He forgives
And you adopt His will

We’re free to contemplate the deal
To weigh the good and bad
To look for some alternative
Which might be to be had

You will discover that it’s vain
To re-address the terms
His offer’s non-negotiable
And God stands pretty firm

The Lord has struck a deal for all
But some the tires kick
Convinced that they will end up with
The short end of the stick

Negotiating with the Lord
Just doesn’t make much sense
As though in indecision He
Is sitting on the fence

He’s not like man in that He has
Some deep inherent needs
Nor sits perplexed or all confused
And for assistance pleads

The gift of God, eternal life
You surely can’t afford
Paid with the precious blood of Christ
Such love can’t be ignored

No coupon will reduce the cost
That God wants all is real
Since in ourselves we’re not worth much
His offer is a steal!

This poem won second place for the April 2019 poetry contest