Once upon a time there was a UPS commercial…
While watching college basketball during the NCAA tournament a certain commercial caught my attention. It was an ad for UPS and throughout the sixty second spot the voice-overs gave a list of all the things UPS was inviting their potential customers to bring to them.
“Bring us your bafflings
Bring us your audacious
We want your daydreams
Your ‘ahas’
Your ‘easier said than dones’
We want your sticky notes
Sketchbooks
And scribbles
…Bring us your ‘need it done yesterdays’
Your impracticals
Your ‘how do we do that’
Impossibles
Your ‘what do we do nows’
Your down right inaccessibles
Bring us those things you’re not sure how to pull off
And you’re even less sure whom to ask
…Because we’re in the problem solving business”
While watching this ad it occurred to me that this list is right in keeping with the invitation God gives us each and everyday…this and so much more.
At the end of the commercial UPS declared themselves the “United Problem Solvers.” And this, too, made me think of God in new and different way. Instead of United Problem Solvers, God is our Ultimate Problem Solver and Easter is a reminder that none of our problems are greater than Him.
In addition to the big and little problems of our daily lives God has solved the unsolvable problems of sin and death. What else could be beyond Him?
The answer is, nothing.
I replay the commercial in my mind, this time picturing the cross, this time hearing His voice over all that troubles my heart.
“Bring Me your wounds
Bring Me your regrets
I want your fears
Your losses
Your ‘I can’t do this anymores’
I want your hopes
Passions
And desires
Bring Me your ‘I need helps’
Your worries
Your ‘I feel so alones’
Hows
Your ‘I don’t understand whys’
Your down right impossibles
Bring me those things that keep you up at night, that break your heart, that scare you to death.
Because I’m in the good news business. The bind up the brokenhearted business. The set the captives free business.
With Good Friday He solved the problem of sin. With Easter He solved the problem of death. With three words He solved the problem of the human condition as He clung and bled and died. As He poured out the solution of perfect love He spoke the answer: ‘It is finished.’
It is finished. All our problems are finished in Him. Today. Everyday. Forever.
And I see it again and again. Those three yellow letters. The UPS logo on TV, in the mail, on the truck. The reminder of fairy tale love and the answer to all my problems.
Cinderella had her Fairy Godmother. Frodo had Gandalf. The children of Narnia had the great lion, Aslan.
And we have the Great I AM.
Brave Prince, lovely Princess may you wake up this day, this Easter sunrise, to the fairy tale found in UPS, in the Ultimate Problem Solver, Jesus. May you take your problems big and small, bring them to the cross, and leave the business of problem solving with no one and nothing but Him.
My dear Jennifer…a great truth and blessing…our eternal hope.
Thanks, Dad! Love you!